#RegAFriend to vote and make sure young people’s voices are heard

By George Addlesee GeorgeA

Young people are ignorant and naïve and don’t deserve to have a say on important issues. Why should politicians, both locally and nationally, listen to them when they have no real experience of the world?

I don’t really think that, obviously. It would be a severe act of self-loathing if I were to sincerely express that opinion, as I’m a young person myself.

Actually, I find views like that depressing. They express an exclusive and elitist view about politics which unfairly blocks out younger voices from political engagement.

And when politicians, of all political stripes, put forward policies that negatively affect young people, we become even more disengaged and apathetic about politics.

Young Britons aged 18 to 25 years are one of the demographics least likely to be registered to vote, with electoral participation particularly low among the young, working-class.

While I can certainly sympathise with this disengagement, it’s vitally important that we attempt to change this status quo by making our voices heard.

Politics affect all of us in our everyday lives. From changes to education, to investment in employment and business, from housing policies to the NHS, lots of important issues require the input of everyone in society.

Therefore, it’s up to us to ensure that we, as young people, add our voices to the discussion and engage with the issues to prove the nay-sayers wrong!

One of the best and most simple ways of doing that is to register to vote.

By registering to vote, you’re taking an active role in the democratic process. Whether you choose to exercise your right to vote is entirely up to you, but registering gives you that active choice.

On May 5, 2016, you’ll have the chance to use your voice and vote for three councillors in your ward to represent you at City of Lincoln Council. And you’ll also have the opportunity to vote for a new Police & Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire.

Remember, you only have until midnight on Monday, April 18 to register. Take the first step in registering, then make sure you #RegAFriend on social media. It’s your opportunity to prove that young people do deserve to have a voice in politics.

George Addlesee was born and bred in Lincoln. Last year, he graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in History. He currently works at the City of Lincoln Council.