Why is registering to vote so important?
I can explain how an eligible person can register to vote and why voting in local elections matters.
Why is registering to vote so important?
I can explain how an eligible person can register to vote and why voting in local elections matters.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- There are many eligibility criteria for voting, e.g. age and residency.
- To register to vote, an eligible person must complete an online or paper form with their details.
- Local elections give communities the opportunity to choose who they want to make decisions on essential services.
- Voter registration drives aim to encourage people to join the electoral roll and vote on polling day.
- The political party with the majority (50% +1) gains overall power of the council, which gives them more control.
Keywords
Election - when people vote to choose leaders or representatives for public positions
Eligible - to meet the criteria or rules to be able to do something
Suffrage - the right to vote
Majority - when a political party has more than half of the total seats in a group, e.g. a council or a parliament; in a majority, the party needs at least one more seat than half of all the seats available
Common misconception
Everyone automatically gets a chance to vote in a UK election.
Not all residents are eligible to vote or are registered to vote. Some may miss out on elections if they don’t register in time or are unaware of the process.
Equipment
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
the right to vote
the formal process of voting to choose representatives
a statement outlining a candidate's policies and ideas
having more than 50% of the total available
Exit quiz
6 Questions
who runs the local council.
local democracy.
suffrage.
the electoral roll.