General Election 2015 Voter Registration, Campaigns, and Turnout Alex Jones, NUS
674 days until general election 2015
Challenges Electoral Landscape Public Opinion Policy Context Student Vote
Responses Activities Intermediate outcomes Long-term aims Impact
Challenges Electoral Landscape Public Opinion Policy Context Student Vote
Electoral Landscape Electoral Landscape
Road to General Election 2015
UK Local Elections (May 2014) European Elections (22 May 2014) Scotland Referendum (September 2014) UK General Election (7 May 2015)
Following the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 the date of the next general election has been set at the 7 May 2015. The Act provides for general elections to be held on the first Thursday in May every five years.
Two exceptions A motion of no confidence is passed in the Government by a simple majority and 14 days elapses without the House passing a confidence motion in any new Government formed A motion for a general election is agreed by two thirds of the total number of seats in the Commons including vacant seats (currently 434 out of 650)
Writs will be issued for elections in the UK's 650 constituencies. Dissolution Parliament is due to dissolve on Monday 13 April 2015. A proclamation will be made announcing when Parliament will meet after the general election and setting the date of the Queen's Speech at State Opening. The election looks set to be contested on existing boundaries following conflict in the Coalition over the boundary review which would have reduced the number of constituencies.
Voter Registration Deadline Cut-off date for UK citizens aged 18 and over to register to vote in the general election. Also marks the deadline for voters to apply for a postal or a proxy vote.
Individual Electoral Registration. polls close.
Polling Day Polling day will be Thursday 7 May 2015. Polling booths open between 7am and 10pm. Counting of votes will begin when polling stations close. polls close.
Electoral Landscape
Electoral Landscape
Electoral Landscape
Largest Students (Population) 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 Sheffield Central Manchester Central Nottingham South Liverpool, Riverside Oxford East Leeds Central Cambridge Bristol West Newcastle upon Tyne East Cardiff Central Leicester South Holborn and St Pancras Manchester, Gorton East Ham Birmingham, Ladywood West Ham Portsmouth South Canterbury Coventry South Leeds North West 0
Largest Students (Percentage) 35.00 30.00 25.00 20.00 15.00 10.00 5.00 0.00 Sheffield Central Cardiff Central Nottingham South Liverpool, Riverside Newcastle upon Tyne East Manchester Central Leeds North West Cambridge Oxford East Bristol West Manchester, Gorton Leeds Central Swansea West Portsmouth South Leicester South Coventry South Canterbury Bath Birmingham, Ladywood Birmingham, Selly Oak
Highest Qualification Level 4 Brentford and Isleworth Oxford West and Abingdon Finchley and Golders Bermondsey and Old Streatham Westminster North Twickenham Bristol West Islington North Vauxhall Hornsey and Wood Green Kensington Wimbledon Chelsea and Fulham Battersea 0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00
Highest Qualification Level 4 Mole Valley Henley Kenilworth and Southam Reading East Chipping Barnet Oxford East Greenwich and Woolwich Kingston and Surbiton Hove Maidenhead Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner Wokingham Bath Altrincham and Sale West Chesham and Amersham South West Surrey Leeds North East South Cambridgeshire Guildford Winchester Esher and Walton Hitchin and Harpenden Brighton, Pavilion St Albans Oxford West and Abingdon Sheffield, Hallam Manchester, Withington Twickenham Bristol West Cambridge 0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00
Electoral Landscape Public Opinion Policy Context Student Vote
Public Opinion
YouGov / The Sun Survey Results Fieldwork: 19 20 June 2013
YouGov / The Sun Survey Results Fieldwork: 19 20 June 2013 11 5 31 Con 14 Lab UKIP Lib Dem Other 39
Foregone conclusion?
1. It s the economy, stupid and Labour are struggling
2. It s the economy, stupid and Labour are struggling
3. Leader Ratings (Negative)
Cameron
Miliband
Clegg
4. Preferred Outcome
5. History
Electoral Landscape Public Opinion Policy Context Student Vote
Student Vote
Lenar Gilmullin
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Overal Turnout Student Turnout
Electoral Landscape Public Opinion Policy Context Student Vote
Policy Context
Fabian Society/YouGov (July 2012)
Fabian Society/YouGov (July 2012)
The UK government considers the interests of future generations Far too little Too little The right amount Too much Far too much
The UK government considers the interests of future generations 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Too Little Too Much
Work Education Community New Deal for the Next Generation
Electoral Landscape Public Opinion Policy Context Student Vote
General Election (674 days) Year 1: Organising Year 2: Mobilising
So, what are we doing? Surveying the Landscape Building External Partnerships Encouraging Student Participation Developing Campaign Themes
Surveying the Landscape
Building Partnerships
Developing Campaign Themes Education Education Passport Student Support Guarantee Work Good Opportunities, Good Deeds Good Jobs, Good Wages Community Active Student Citizens Student Power in Communities
Encouraging Student Participation I am the Change Community Organising We Are the Change Activism
So, what are we doing? Surveying the Landscape Building External Partnerships Encouraging Student Participation Developing Campaign Themes
alex.jones@nus.org.uk