Do you work with people who need to be heard in next year’s election?
The Electoral Reform Society Cymru are putting together an Election Engagement Working Group ahead of the Senedd elections in May 2021. The group will bring together voluntary sector organisations working with people who are newly enfranchised or less likely to vote. The aims of the group will be to:
- Understand the existing engagement work ongoing across Wales
- Reduce the risk of duplicating current work
- Promote collaborative working across organisations to produce and distribute engagement materials that are relevant and accessible
- Facilitate engagement with target groups i.e. through digital platforms
Jess Blair, Director of ERS Cymru, said: ‘Next year’s election will be the first to see 16 and 17-year-olds and all registered foreign nationals voting in Wales. This is a genuinely significant moment in Wales’ history, but we need to ensure that we do this right.
‘That’s why we want to bring together groups working on the ground across Wales to discuss how best we inform and engage people who are either newly allowed to vote or less likely traditionally to turnout. We’ll also be bringing in the big bodies leading on resources who can share what they’ve been doing. Our aim with this is to equip organisations across Wales with these resources and with the connections to best inform the people you are working with about how important it is to vote next year.
‘It’s so vital that in May next year people across Wales have their voices heard – and the voluntary sector has a critical role to play in this. Please get in touch if you think this could be of interest”
The first meeting will be held in September or October of this year. If you’d like to get involved please email ERS Cymru at cymru@electoral-reform.org.uk.