{"id":3166,"date":"2015-03-03T14:30:27","date_gmt":"2015-03-03T14:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=3166"},"modified":"2015-03-04T13:34:39","modified_gmt":"2015-03-04T13:34:39","slug":"voting-vital-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=3166","title":{"rendered":"Voting \u00e2\u20ac\u201c more vital than ever"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

As the NoVoteNoVoice tour bus kicked off its whistle stop tour last weekend, it rolled into Rayleigh, Essex, with the cast of hit reality TV show TOWIE (The Only Way is Essex) lending a hand to encourage the nation to register to vote.<\/p>\n

 
\nAs the Daily Mirror reported today<\/a> (March 3), TOWIE\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s stars, including Lydia Bright, Gemma Collins, Jessica Wright, Elliott Wright and James Lock, have joined forces with the voter registration coalition headed by Unite, the Daily Mirror, Hope not Hate, Operation Black Vote and Vote Booster, among other groups.<\/p>\n

 
\nThey\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re hoping to appeal to young voters, many of whom have become so disaffected by mainstream politics that they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve relinquished the most powerful tool they have to affect change \u00e2\u20ac\u201c voting.<\/p>\n

 
\nBut the cast of TOWIE argue that for young people, voting now is important than ever before.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI really want young people to vote because we are the people who are really being affected by all the changes politicians talk about,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Lydia Bright.<\/p>\n

 
\nNew star James Locke agreed.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important as it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s your say on choosing who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s running our country,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 
\nIndeed, listen to any political debate in the run-up to May\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s election, and parties across the spectrum are talking about issues that directly affect young people, from zero hours contracts to apprenticeships to tuition fees and affordable housing.<\/p>\n

 
\nBut, as it stands now, young people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fate may be decided by other people. If history is anything to go by, young people aged 18 to 24 will not turn out in the numbers that other age groups do \u00e2\u20ac\u201c in 2010, only 44 per cent of young people voted<\/a>, compared to 76 per cent of voters over 65.<\/p>\n

 
\nTOWIE star Elliott Wright, however, insists that young people must exercise their right to vote come May.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf young people aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t voting, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not democracy, is it?\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Wright, who criticised another Essex native, Russell Brand, for his call to boycott voting.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ridiculous,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Elliott. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThere\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s already not enough kids voting nowadays because they think, \u00e2\u20ac\u0098My vote isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t going to matter, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s only one vote.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut if politicians talked to kids they could make them see that if every person your age votes then together you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got a massive influence,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added.<\/p>\n

 
\nEngage with young plea<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

 
\nMany in the cast of TOWIE said that if politicians hope to inspire younger generations to vote, they must engage with them.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe problem with politicians is no young people can relate to them,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Lydia.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bYou\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re allowed to talk posh, but they do it with such jargon and seem so out of touch. Young people can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t relate to it.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nLydia adds that lack of education is also a contributing factor to dismally low youth voter turnout rates.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bKids need to be taught about politics,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 says Lydia. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re taught about the suffragettes. But it isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t followed through as to why voting is still important.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nAnd she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s right \u00e2\u20ac\u201c political education in schools is now patchy at best<\/a>. And that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why campaigns like NoVoteNoVoice have stepped in to get the word out about the importance of voting.<\/p>\n

 
\nIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not about choosing one party or another. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about reclaiming a simple but effective method for having a say in what your future will look like.<\/p>\n

 
\nUnite national youth co-ordinator Anthony Curley, who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s heading the NoVoteNoVoice campaign, welcomed the support of TOWIE\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cast.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAny sort of public figure who can draw attention to our campaign is a good thing,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe show is watched by more than one million people and so the cast obviously has significant sway over public opinion, especially among young people. The stars of the show can give young people, who need someone to relate to, some perspective on politics so that they get involved in May.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nCurley added that the NoVoteNoVoice bus tour, only a few days underway, is already receiving widespread publicity.<\/p>\n

 
\nInterested in getting involved? Get on the bus and register to vote, as the NoVoteNoVoice bus stops in your area. This week the tour will stop in the following towns and cities:<\/p>\n

 
\nTuesday – Hastings<\/p>\n

 
\nWednesday – Brighton<\/p>\n

 
\nThursday – Southampton<\/p>\n

 
\nFriday – Bristol<\/p>\n

 
\nSaturday – Cardiff<\/p>\n

 
\nSunday – Sandwell, Dudley<\/p>\n

 
\nFind out more about NoVoteNoVoice here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 
\n*Photo of TOWIE stars by Tim Anderson\/Daily Mirror<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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