The EU referendum has been called the biggest decision in British voters’ lifetimes – by both sides of the debate. But voters will miss out if they aren’t registered to vote by Tuesday 7 June. Here are six reasons why failing to do so could result in some serious facepalming.
1. You won’t get a vote
Simple as that. If you don’t register by June 7, you won’t be able to vote on June 23.
Many young people are first-time voters, so they may not be on the electoral roll. Young people also move around a lot and may not yet be registered where they live. Some are registered in their uni towns but, if they are back at home many miles away on June 23, that won’t be any good.
If you are not going to be where you are registered – say, if you are travelling to Glastonbury with 175,000 other revellers – you can get a postal vote. But your printed application has to arrive at your local electoral registration office by 5pm on June 8. Read more details here.
You can’t just turn up to any polling booth, say you are over 18 and demand to vote. You must be registered first.
2. This vote is for the long haul
The referendum is not like a general election. One doesn’t come along every five years. The last time Brits got a vote on EU membership was in 1975, 41 years ago. If you miss this chance to vote on whether you want to remain, you may never get another.
3. Older generations could decide your future
Young people have longer to live than old people. So they will have to live with the consequences of this vote for longer. If you’re 18 and a woman, you can expect to live another 65 years. If you are a man, you can expect to live another 62.
Over 65s were nearly twice as likely to vote in last year’s election as 18-24 year olds. Older voters are also roughly twice as likely to vote to leave than younger ones, according to polls.
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4. Every vote actually counts this time
This isn’t like a general election, where you might live in one of the UK’s “safe seats” and it hardly matters who you vote for. The EU referendum is one voter, one vote – the side with most votes wins. The polls show the vote is currently on a knife edge, and a small number of votes could swing it. How would you feel if the vote didn’t end up the way you wanted but by such a narrow margin that you (and others who feel like you) could have swung it if you had registered in time?
5. Brexit could lead to high youth unemployment
The Bank of England to the IMF have predicted a vote to Leave could cause an economic shock, with unemployment rising.
The young will get hurt most. Older people may hang onto their jobs. But fewer new jobs will be created.
6. There’s a lot more riding on this than just jobs
There are plenty of positive reasons for young people to vote remain. Whether you’re motivated by the environment, digital world, workers’ rights, development aid or the freedom to work, live and study abroad, the EU has lots to offer you in the future.
You can register to vote in 5 minutes. Voter registration for the EU referendum is open until June 7.
Edited by Hugo Dixon
If young people vote to remain in the EU, the vote is for:
1. Depressed wages (as millions of EU citizens come from countries with economies that are dirt poor compared to the UK)
2. The prospect of higher youth unemployment such as that suffered by Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, and Cyprus where 40 – 50% of youths are out of work, entirely due to the disastrous policies of the EU and the total disregard for the hardship caused.
Vote to remain, vote for a worst standard of living.
As an “older voter, The selfish side of me ought to vote to “Remain” as in my part of England we won’t suffer too much by staying “In” during my twilight years, so I’ll be alright Jack.
The unselfish side of me ought to (and will) vote to “Leave” because if we give up the UK to Brussels, it might then follow we are forced to give up the Falklands and Gibraltar as well.
Not only that, and beyond the 18 year olds, how will our Grandchildren’s grandchildren look back at us and thank us for keeping them “In” the United States of Europe, and lose all our identity that our Grandfathers and their Grandfathers fought to secure for us?