A STUDENTS’ union has won £5,000 in government money to encourage its members to vote at the General Election.
Durham Students’ Union (DSU) secured the funding from the Cabinet Office and will work with local colleges to increase voting registration among young people.
Academic affairs officer Leigh Spanner said: “The student vote is vitally important, particularly for us in Durham and Stockton-on-Tees where students make up a sizeable proportion of the electorate.”
There will be voter registration events on Monday, April 20; plus debates in Durham on April 20 and Stockton the following day. The debates will be open to the public.
Just 44 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds voted at the 2010 General Election, compared to almost 80 per cent of over 65s.
At a DSU event in February, more than 1,600 students successfully registered to vote.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here