The teams are prepped, the logistics are in place and the staff are taking care of food for the whole night. It’s been an intense few weeks, but we’re in the home stretch to finding out who’ll be governing the country for the next five years (or not, given the likely messy outcome of this year’s election).
With just a few days to go, here’s a quick re-cap of what the YourElection15 team have been up to over the past few weeks and a look forward to what to expect on the big night.
We’ve slogged our way through five TV debates, with a live blog and comprehensive coverage for each. We’ve held our own live radio debate from one of the most important marginal seats in the country. We’ve covered local hustings in Bournemouth and the surrounding area to bring you up to date news on the election battles and key issues in Dorset. And the university has hosted its own hustings where local candidates have been taken to task by potential student voters.
It’s been a great experience working with such an enthusiastic team of reporters, and we’ll all be here, typing away, through the night on the 7th. Our results map will be updating as each constituency is announced, so you can see the country gradually turn to blue, red, and hopefully some other combination of colours. Our writers will be keeping an eye on the big wins, losses and what they might mean for the outcome. Our live blog and twitter teams will be churning out breaking news, insights and analysis. And of course you’ll be able to watch and listen to our live TV and radio coverage direct from the website.
You might well have heard this before, but this election really is proving to be the most uncertain we’ve had in decades. Which is all the more reason for you to take to the polls on Thursday. There may be problems with the UK’s political system and yes, well over half of the constituencies are ‘safe seats’ where change won’t come easily. In fact, seven of Dorset’s eight seats are safe Conservative seats.
But change doesn’t happen overnight. What’s exciting about this election is it’s the first one where former ‘fringe parties’ are actually being taken seriously. Polls show that young voters tend to be much more progressive than older voters. If young voters exercised their right to vote, they could at least show politicians what matters to them. With that in mind, this Thursday, you have two tasks: go and vote, then tune into our dedicated coverage and find out what the future might hold for your country.
Naomi Mihara
Online editor
Leave a Reply