We're heading to the ballot boxes on Thursday 23 May but why should you actually vote in the European Elections? What does it mean for you? Why should you bother walking down to your local polling office? Here’s a quick-stop article on why it’s essential to vote in the upcoming elections.
Why should I bother?
One word. Brexit.
These votes have become an important ground to see whether Britain really wants to leave the European Union.
As a Union, we're all behind a People's Vote on the Brexit deal and a few weeks ago we wrote to our local MP, Keir Starmer, acknowledging our support for a People's Vote.
The European Elections have become a way in which we can tell the government that we want a People's Vote, that we want the final say on Brexit. If you want to send a message about Brexit, then send it as clearly as possible by voting for a party that stands by your beliefs. We need to be as loud and as clear as possible on where we stand and these elections are a way in which we can make that statement.
Who can you vote for?
There’s loads of candidates for London (88 candidates) to choose from and you can see the full list here: https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/
When is it?
Thursday 23 May.
You should have your polling station listed in your ballot paper, but you can also check it out here.
How do the votes work and will my one vote even matter?
Yes. Of course, we would say yes because we’re trying to get more people voting, but in all honesty, it does matter.
By using the d’Hondt method of voting, every vote makes a difference. In a very simplified explanation, seats are allocated in proportion to the number of votes received and the more votes a party has, the more seats they can claim.
When it comes to voting, you vote for the party you want, not the candidates. The candidates are picked by the party.