[Livia]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Although not in agreement as to who we want to win the next election Livia, you know I love your views and always learn something from you too.
Valuable learning I call it.

I was wondering what you thought could be the means to get more people voting.
Looking back, there were times when only 2 or 3 names were on ballot papers.
We now have like a shopping list of candidates and even parties on many ballot papers.

For me it is hard to understand that there can be no one on those ballot papers that a potential voter cannot find some common ground with as to supporting them.

More Parties, more candiates from all backgrounds,yet less and less actually voting.

I don't think I could trust internet voting or phone voting.so am stumped as to what the answer is to get more out to vote.
I can understand disillusionment but again, that can pnly really apply to those who have ahd power and failed badly,also in the case of the Lib Dems,kicking their voters in tyhe teeth for theri trust and votes for a share of time in power.

None of that is good for politics or getting people to vote, for them but then it seems, a wider choice doesn't help too.

Is it the voting system? Do 'new' voters and those who don;t vote, feel they would be wasting their time voting,could a new system of voting help in that.
Although AV was voted against in the referendum a few years ago.
Do we now need to have a system that shows every vote could count more.

I can still see the merits of 'first past the post' as to usually bringing strong govt. however that now seems under threat too with this multi party system building up more and more.
A multi party system that gives more choice but still fails to get more and more people out to vote.
However should it be right that any party could be in power unchecked or moderated by getting around or just above a thrid of the votes cast as may well be the case in May this year.

I actually too don't like the current postal votes system.
Unless they were done and posted after polling day, something could be revealed in the dying days of an election campaign that could be crucial to what we were told in the campaign.
Which may even have altered how someone would have voted, it is too late to change that once the postal vote is already gone.

I am just interested in what you think as to getting more people out with your knowledge of politics.
I don't agree compulsory voting is the answer but it is worrying when so many people are turned off a subject and people like MPs and potential MPs so much, that they don't vote when a great deal of what happens after an election and a govt. is in place,is going to affect all their lives considerably by the decisions those MPs in power make.

Hey Joey... actually, I'm not sure who I want to win the General Election. There isn't anyone out there who reflects my ideals.

As for engaging young people in politics, I'd get young interested in politics. into schools. Maybe politics students. When I worked for the Tories, they had Conservative Future (which used to be Young Conservatives) who would go into schools and talk to young people about voting and politics and how it works and affects them. It wasn't done from the Tory slant, their aim was to get young people thinking and discussing about politics. It was young people engaging with young people and in the areas it happened, it was successful. I don't know if other parties do this, but if they don't, they should.

I also think it's vitally important to remember that politicians are not some elite, far above us. They are public servants.