{"id":3208,"date":"2015-03-01T17:38:18","date_gmt":"2015-03-01T17:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.katewilloughby.co.uk\/?p=3208"},"modified":"2015-03-29T10:53:51","modified_gmt":"2015-03-29T10:53:51","slug":"dearlauren-votingmatters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katewilloughby.co.uk\/?p=3208","title":{"rendered":"#DearLauren … #votingmatters"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Emilymatters_80096b\"<\/a><\/p>\n

#D e a r L a u r e n\u00a0 ….\u00a0 \u00a0 # V O T I N G M A T T E R S
\nI N T E R N A T I O N A L \u00a0 W O M E N ‘ S \u00a0 D A Y\u00a0\u00a0 2 0 1 5<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"DearLauren_BW_poster_V2_Get<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Voting matters, globally!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thanks to everyone who took part and also to The Peoples’ Politics<\/strong><\/a>, who worked with us on this #DearLauren<\/strong> social media campaign to encourage young people to vote as well as encourage discussion about #Votingmatters<\/strong><\/a> as part of the events around the WOW Festival<\/strong><\/a> and International Women’s Day<\/strong> on 8 March.<\/p>\n

Because voting matters, globally.<\/p>\n

There was a great response from across the UK and far beyond. You can see messages of encouragement, wit and wisdom in our #DearLauren<\/strong>\u00a0Storify<\/strong> parts I<\/strong><\/a>, II<\/strong><\/a> and III<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"DL_Gridshot_Yarm_PeoplesPol_08Mar15\"<\/a>

Some examples of #DearLauren … #votingmatters messages sent.
See our storify parts 1,2 & 3 for the full picture.<\/p><\/div>\n

.<\/p>\n

\"DL_Deepti_wbsite_03Mar15\"<\/a><\/p>\n

———–\u00a0\u00a0 This is the original post about the campaign\u00a0\u00a0 ———–<\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"DL_VotingCounts_03Mar15\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Who is Lauren?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lauren<\/strong> is a student in Glasgow. I met her in September 2014, on the eve of the Scottish Independence Referendum. As a seventeen year old, she was a first time voter in the Independence Referendum, which was reported to have had a record turnout of 84.6%<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Lauren said she planned to vote in the Independence Referendum, but had a very different opinion about politics in general:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I don\u2019t really care \u2026 I\u2019m not really interested in it. I think it\u2019s very boring.<\/strong><\/a>
\n<\/strong>– Lauren, Glasgow
\n<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

And she is not alone.<\/p>\n

At the last general election only 39%<\/strong> of young women aged 18-24 voted, whilst just 20%<\/strong> of BAME young women used their right to vote.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"VM_21st<\/a>

#Votingmatters to 21st century suffragettes at the 2014 Emily Tree pic nic<\/p><\/div>\n

.<\/p>\n

If first time voters, like Lauren, continue to give up their hard won right to vote, their voices will not be heard and they will likely continue to bear the brunt of economic cuts. #Votingmatters<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The deadline for registering to vote in the UK general election is 20 April<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Get_involved_f28_80096b\"<\/p>\n

\"DL_TalatYaqoob_03Mar15\"<\/a><\/p>\n

– Does voting matter to you? Or do you agree with Lauren?<\/p>\n

– Maybe you’re not yet eligible to vote? The next government will have a big impact on your life too.<\/p>\n

– What would you say to Lauren?<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dear Lauren \u2026
\n#votingmatters
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I’ll be at London’s Southbank Centre for this year’s Women of the World Festival<\/strong><\/a> or get in touch via:<\/p>\n

Twitter<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Instagram<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Facebook<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Vine<\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n

.<\/p>\n