Published on 29th January 2014

Voting form and pencil

‘Bite the Ballot’, a group encouraging young voters to engage in politics has instigated the National Register to Vote Day 2014 and its aim is to get 250,000 new registered voters on 5 February.

The group is particularly targeting the young people to publicise the power of the ballot - empowerment starts as soon as they register. Officers at Cheltenham Borough Council are supporting the initiative and are confident that the campaign will enthuse and involve young people in Cheltenham.

Electoral registration officer, Andrew North, said: “Registering is important as it enables people to exercise their right to vote, making them influential within their community. Households across Cheltenham will have received registration forms which by law need to be completed and returned to the council.”

“It’s important that parents include their young people in their households on the forms so that they can choose to have a say in how they are governed from a local, national and European perspective.”

To register you can call the council’s electoral registration office on 01242 264132. Registration forms can be found on the Electoral Commission’s website www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.

ENDS


Press contact:
Tom Wheatly, web and communications apprentice, telephone 01242 775192, email: [email protected]

Notes to editors:

  • 56% of 18 to 24 year olds registered to vote in the 2010 general election (statistics from: http://bitetheballot.co.uk/)
  • 44% of 18 to 24 year olds voted in the 2010 general election, compared to 76% of those aged 65+ (statistics from: http://bitetheballot.co.uk/)
  • Bite the Ballot is a pressure group that’s been formed to target young people to vote in European, local and general elections. They have their own registration form, which can be found at: http://bitetheballot.co.uk/thebasics/