[E]den District Council is helping to promote the first National Democracy Week which starts on 2 July 2018 – the 90th anniversary of the 1928 Equal Franchise Act, which gave women the same voting rights as men. The week aims to encourage more people to get involved in the democratic process in Britain.
Eden District Council Chairman, Mary Robinson said: “National Democracy Week is the ideal opportunity to take a step back from our busy lives and remember how important it is that people use their democratic rights in the UK to not only register to vote in elections, but also consider standing for election as a Councillor to help support the needs of their local community.
“In Eden, this is very important as we have a democratic deficit. This means we don’t have enough people standing as potential candidates to contest local elections. We need more people to come forward to stand so they can represent the needs and aspirations of local communities. The next local elections in Eden are in May 2019, so now is a good time to raise awareness of this issue and give people who may be interested in becoming a Councillor the opportunity to find out what the role entails. For more information about becoming a Councillor visit https://beacouncillor.co.uk or contact the Democratic Services Team at Eden District Council by calling 01768 817817 or email [email protected].”
In its inaugural year, National Democracy Week is a celebration of democracy in society, and includes events, talks and fun activities across the UK. This includes the National Democracy Week Awards ceremony. The awards recognise the exceptional service of those who work tirelessly to engage people in the UK’s democracy. The week aims to encourage more people to get involved in our democracy and increase participation across the UK.
The week is also celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 when the first British women over 30 (who met a property qualification) won the right to vote and the 90th anniversary of the Equal Franchise Act 1928 which granted equal voting rights to men and women.
The week is being delivered in collaboration by the National Democracy Week Council members, the Cabinet Office and partners across the country. To find out more visit www.gov.uk/nationaldemocracyweek It only takes 5 minutes to register to vote online find out more: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
