LETTER: Our destiny is in their hands

Those 40 plus have had voting drilled into them for their working parents of the coal mine and the hosiery mills era.

Folks are happy to take what is given as they feel voting does not make a difference. Look at the under thirties and see how many are actually registered to vote. I fear not many. How many understand the process come to that?

Polling stations are past their best and no longer popular.

I support Cllr Kate Alsop recent recommendation about using supermarkets as polling stations. More adults use these than schools and community centres these days.

Also why not have a speaker’s corner on the market place, give the people of this town chance to engage is topical debate and hear what’s happening?

Someone asked the question has any one seen a candidate canvassing yet? From my end the answer is NO! and it is saddening that one seldom sees a councillor/ elected members unless there is an election and they need your vote.

How do we stop the apathy and generate a greater turn out? Ideas please!

We need to make folk aware of just what citizenship means and the importance of it. I am fearful that schools and families fail us in this at such an important time.

We can only create change if we vote for what we believe is right.

I know political parties have failed us in the past.

What we also fail to recognise is that any new elected member or party is actually picking up the evicted party’s legacy which can and does take many years to put right.

We hear the younger generation saying ‘what’s the point, it won’t change anything?’ How sad that this is the view of the majority of those eligible to vote...Our destiny is in their hands.

It would be interesting to hear other people’s opinions on this.

Maria Gibson

Community Activist

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Why is vote turn-out so low and what can we do about it?

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