Published Wednesday 3 May 2023 at 17:10
Young people from Blackburn with Darwen came together to make their mark ahead of tomorrow’s local elections.
Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Youth MP Muhammed Bapu and members of the Youth Forum joined with art students from Blackburn College who designed posters to be displayed in Blackburn town centre.
Apprentices from BwD Council also made their mark by getting involved in the collaboration by writing on giant post it notes encouraging young people to vote.
Statistics from the Electoral Commission show that pre-covid (2019), one in three young people are not registered to vote and shows that registration levels are low among young people.
Only 74 per cent of those aged 25-34 are correctly registered, falling to 68 per cent among those aged 20-24 and 66 per cent among those aged 18-19. Registration rates are significantly higher for those aged 65 and over, at 94 per cent.
Youth MP Muhammed Bapu, said: “For many young people across Blackburn with Darwen voting can be seen as an intimidating experience. Some of us don’t know how to register to vote, where to vote and who you should vote for and why.
“We need to raise awareness of people voting and this means thinking about how we can come together as a young community and be stronger together.”
Brayden Hartley, Marketing and Communications apprentice penned a poem and wrote his words on the wall.
He said: “This was a great way for people to engage together and it was fun. I enjoy writing poems and this was also a good way to put my words on display and hopefully encourage people to engage with the council and see how the future of our town can be changed by electing the right person.”
Brady Ellwood is a first year fine art student at Blackburn College and hasn’t voted before she used her design to empower first time voters and young women.
Brady said: “I haven’t ever voted before but this project opened up my eyes to being able to make a difference for young women and their families.”
Council chief executive Denise Park, who is the Returning Officer for the local election in Blackburn with Darwen, said: “It is great to bring young people together ahead of the elections to get them engaging, talking and thinking about their future. This year we have seen a historic change in the way that we vote by needing ID for the first time ever.
“This change also means that our future generations need to know about the power of voting and why having their say is so important for the borough. By working together we can help them make their mark so that the right support, services and leadership will help them live a better life in Blackburn with Darwen, so that none of them are left behind.”