General Election



General Elections Voter Registration Campaign

Why are we running the campaign?

Not enough students are currently registered to vote in Exeter. Without evidence that students are playing a part in the local electoral process, it is possible that student views and issues become marginalized due to elected representatives not feeling they need to represent people who aren't going to vote for them. A cynical viewpoint perhaps, but one that has taken hold in other University cities and (I think you'll all agree) not one we want to take hold here in Exeter. We need to demonstrate to the local community that students are an important part of the electoral process, and there is no better time to do this than now – with the Parliamentary and City Council elections taking place this May! Any student who is from the UK or a Commonwealth Country is eligible to register to vote.

Who are the local candidates?

The Students' Guild and DebSoc are hosting a Parliamentary Question Time on Friday 19th March (7pm, Newman A Lecture Theatre) which features the prospective candidates from the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, UK Independence and Green Parties. the evening will feature a mixture of speeches from candidates, as well as giving audience members an opportunity to ask questions. All students and staff are welcome to attend.

Why is it important to vote?

It gives you a chance to have a say on important issues. This Parliamentary election will give voters a real opportunity to shape the direction on issues such as:
  • Higher Education funding
  • Graduate prospects
  • The economy
  • The NHS
  • Climate change
  • Public sector spending
  • And much, much more!
Being on the register gives you the option to have their say on these important issues.

Some of the Exeter City Council wards will be voted upon in May. The City Council elections are also really important to students in Exeter, as they have control over waste & recycling, licensing, planning permission and, possibly most importantly, new powers that could see them restrict the number of students living in certain areas of Exeter.

Exeter will be a marginal seat in this Parliamentary election – polls are very close indeed and the student vote could well swing the result. In Crawley for instance, the majority of the sitting Labour MP is just 37 and if indications of a tight election here in Exeter are right, your vote really could make a significant difference. Closer to home, one of the City Council wards in Exeter was won with a majority of 1 vote.

Many social commentators see students as being apathetic and disengaged with the political process. We need students to register and, ultimately, vote to disprove this  

People have died for the right to vote in this country, and many people across the world today are still unable to vote in free and fair elections. This is a privilege we shouldn’t take for granted.

Students can be registered to vote in more than one place. Even if you are registered at their home address, you can register here too.

How can I register?

There are three ways you can register for the elections taking place in May.
They are:
  1. Filling in a registration form at the St Luke’s or Devonshire House Information Points (we’ll post them for you!)
  2. Downloading and printing a registration form from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
  3. Stopping to fill in a form that will be carried around campus by one of our campaign volunteers (see section 5 to find out how you can help, and possibly win £50!)
NUS Campaign

The NUS have a campaign running throughout the build-up to the election, trying to get as many people as possible to sign their pledge to get prospective MPs to vote for a fairer University funding system. Please sign it yourselves, as well as encouraging your family, friends and neighbours to do so as well! Further information about their campaign can be found at www.voteforstudents.co.uk.

How you can win £50!

The Guild needs volunteers to help run the campaign. If you’re passionate about political issues, and you want to see students registering to vote, please let us know! To help incentivise things, we are also offering £50 to the volunteer who returns the highest number of valid registration forms. For more details, please email guildeducation@ex.ac.uk.