It is your duty to register to vote in the EU referendum by 7th June

Now, I’m not one to ram my personal political beliefs down others throats. One thing I will advocate though, is insisting everyone who is eligible to vote uses their privilege (particularly us women).

Whether that means voting for a particular party, choosing a side in a referendum, or spoiling the ballot in protest to whatever is being offered.

If yes to any of these points, please don’t waste your vote!

As you may or may not know, the EU Referendum is now only two months away and if you’re a British or Irish citizen living in the UK, over 18 and on the electoral register; you are eligible to cast your vote.

Just don’t take a selfie with your ballot or in the polling station!

Due to recent government policy changes, many people – mostly students – have fallen off the electoral register. Your parents can no longer register your name for you, so it is up to you to get yourself registered.

A typical polling station

It is super easy to register online at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, you just need your National Insurance number to hand (and your passport if you’re a British national living abroad).

Did you know you can also register to vote at your university address as well as your home address? Of course this doesn’t mean you get to vote twice, but it gives you the advantage of not having to travel back home on polling day (realistically, not many students would even consider this).

You can also apply for postal vote forms through the online application, if going to your ward’s polling station isn’t for you, or a proxy vote where someone votes on your behalf if you’re unable to vote personally.

You’ll have probably had one of these in your letterbox

And maybe one of these…

I got asked this week how students would be affected in the possible event of Brexit, and I can honestly say I do not know 100% how we will be affected as a group, even if the referendum results in the UK remaining in the European Union (which I’m pretty sure academics can’t even make predictions on). Although if we do leave, I do know we probably won’t be included in university Erasmus programmes (it happened to Switzerland after they didn’t agree to freedom of movement).

In or Out? It’s up to us to decide on 23rd June

It’s up to us as an electorate to decide, register to vote by 7th June, it’s your chance to voice your opinion on our EU membership on the 23rd June.