Why voting matters and how to get involved with campaigning in Edinburgh

What’s that sound you can hear? It’s probably either me crying, journalists frantically typing their hot takes, or every single Labour Party member of staff loudly shouting fuck. That’s right kids, Theresa May (you may remember her from such events as “was never actually elected Prime Minister” and “red white and blue Brexit”) has called for a snap general election for 8th June. Hooray! What a glorious day – this must be that democracy Nigel Farage was foaming at the mouth about!

Young people do not vote. We just don’t. In the 2015 general election, only 43 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds turned out to vote. In the EU referendum (RIP in peace), while younger voters chose overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, we were also the age group who most favoured staying at home with a chippy tea rather than getting out to the polling station. There are always patronising campaigns about why it’s so important for young people to vote (it is) and why it affects us the most (it does), but at a time when politics is so volatile here I am, rage writing this article to plead with students to vote.

We never thought there would be an EU referendum, yet here we are. We never thought Leave would win the referendum, yet here we are. We never thought (or activists hoped) there would be another general election so soon after 2015, yet here we are. I know it’s at the most inconvenient time possible, but we need to make our voices heard. It’s literally useless complaining about the government on the day after the election, when it’s already happened, and it’s too late for you to do anything about it. Nobody could have predicted the last couple of years in politics so don’t think for a second that you don’t need to vote.

The election will be on the 8th June, so lots of Edinburgh students will probably be at home. You need to make sure you are registered to vote wherever you will be on 8th June! If not, sort out a postal vote. If you don’t trust the post or will be abroad (shoutout to all the year abroad students), register for a proxy vote – where you give permission for someone else (preferably not your staunchly Tory voting granddad who still gets a tear in his eye when he thinks about Maggie Thatcher’s death) to vote on your behalf.

Political parties wouldn’t be anywhere without their team of hardworking and dedicated volunteers who trek up and down streets in random towns all across the UK, often in the great British wind and rain. It’s all very well to post on Facebook and Twitter about why people should vote for the party you want to get into government, because it creates awareness and that’s always a good thing. But if you really want to make a difference and make a quantifiable contribution towards a cause you believe in, I’d encourage anyone to get involved with a bit of campaigning.

Want to show Theresa and Boris they aren’t so strong and stable? Join a campaign – it obviously takes more effort but it’s a really great feeling knowing you’re doing your bit for something you believe in (cheesy I know). Edinburgh has a range of political societies that will have Facebook pages and emails to contact, and they will all be busy campaigning over the next month and begging everyone they know to please help, generally promising pints afterwards.

People will always tell you how it works before you start and you never have to do more than you feel comfortable with, whatever your accessibility needs are. Edinburgh Labour Students has developed a jargon buster of political terms and tips as to how to respond to questions you might get asked by voters. Go on their Facebook page and send them a message, even if you just want to even do an hour, it all helps. Don’t feel like you have to be a conference attending, 1997 election documentary watching diehard to get involved. If you want to lend any support at all, this is how to do it.