Get the Vote Out! Ten ideas for action
Twelve Get the Vote Out! conferences were held over eight months and generated many ideas for raising awareness and providing information about the European Parliament Elections on June 10th 2004.
From the many ideas coming out of the conferences, here is a selection of the best initiatives taking place - from large-scale campaigns to individual actions.
1. One organisation is setting up pub quizzes to get young people talking about Europe in the run up to the election.
2. A students' union is running an awareness-raising campaign in their college using screensavers and log-on messages on the college's computer network.
3. A local council is starting an email "daisy chain", informing people about the elections and encouraging them to forward it on to their contacts.
4. A students' union will be running debates on Europe, inviting MEPs and the local press, in conjunction with a banner advert on their website.
5. One local authority will be sending out Get the Vote Out! leaflets with the council tax bills.
6. Several organisations will have street/market stalls in the run up to the elections, providing leaflets and information to people and using face-to-face contact to increase awareness of the elections and the issues.
7. One councillor is going to set up photo opportunities with a European theme in order to attract media attention, and write letters to local newspapers.
8. One college will be organising a "Question Time" event, involving their international office and politics students.
9. Many organisations will be featuring articles about the European Parliament and/or the election on their website or in their newsletters.
10. One man will be promoting the importance of voting to everyone he meets.
For further ideas on how to get involved look at europecounts.org.uk