EU elections
Susannah and I received our ballots for the EU Parliamentary elections today so I thought I'd do a PSA. Obviously it's primarily for Europeans, but it's short, and I suspect some non-Europeans may be interested anyway.
The date for the elections is Thursday 4 June. If you're registered to vote, you are registered to vote in these elections. Just off the top of my head, I can think of two very important reasons to vote in them:
1. The way to make the EU more representative and democratic is to take part in it. The bit we get to take part in is electing our MEPs. So elect them!
2. The MEPs are elected by pure proportional representation. This means when you vote, you vote for a party rather than a candidate. Now, politics wonks like me probably feel slightly cheated by this because we like to vote by candidate as well as party, but, all the candidates are released on party lists and you can still research them. What is more important is that proportional representation means the following:
Every vote that is not for the BNP is against the BNP.
With every vote you cast for the LibDems, Labour, Greens, Conservatives, UK Independance Party if you like, you DECREASE the BNP's share of the vote and make it less likely that they will win a seat in your area. (With this second reason alone, I have convinced Susannah, who is apathetic about politics, to do her civic duty on this one.)
Here are some more reasons, if you'd like them.
Go, vote, prosper. Register first if necessary.
www.europarl.europa.eu/elections2009/default.htm
The date for the elections is Thursday 4 June. If you're registered to vote, you are registered to vote in these elections. Just off the top of my head, I can think of two very important reasons to vote in them:
1. The way to make the EU more representative and democratic is to take part in it. The bit we get to take part in is electing our MEPs. So elect them!
2. The MEPs are elected by pure proportional representation. This means when you vote, you vote for a party rather than a candidate. Now, politics wonks like me probably feel slightly cheated by this because we like to vote by candidate as well as party, but, all the candidates are released on party lists and you can still research them. What is more important is that proportional representation means the following:
Every vote that is not for the BNP is against the BNP.
With every vote you cast for the LibDems, Labour, Greens, Conservatives, UK Independance Party if you like, you DECREASE the BNP's share of the vote and make it less likely that they will win a seat in your area. (With this second reason alone, I have convinced Susannah, who is apathetic about politics, to do her civic duty on this one.)
Here are some more reasons, if you'd like them.
Go, vote, prosper. Register first if necessary.
www.europarl.europa.eu/elections2009/default.htm