Bournemouth West’s Green party candidate, Elizabeth McManus has expressed both her nerves and excitement as she awaits the results of her first count as a parliamentary candidate.
With the Bournemouth West seat being traditionally held by the Conservatives, McManus is hoping that active Green party voters will help her to secure the seat.
However, she is also aware that there is a threat from other parties.
She said: “I’m obviously in quite a Green bubble, so everyone I come into contact with – students and other people that I’m out compassing with, Green party supporters and general members of the public, are very green and positive.
“It’s important for me to take a look back and have some perspective and see that that’s to everyone.”
The rumour of potential tactical voting has circulated a lot throughout this election, however she believes that the best way to use a vote is by voting for something that “you actually believe in”.
She said: “If everyone voted for who they actually wanted, then the country would be run very differently.
“You need to be brave, and say ‘yes, this is the party that I believe in, and I’m going to vote for them, whether I think they’re going to get in or not.”
McManus also believes that the Green Party’s policy to abolish tuition fees has made a huge impression on the town, which has a very high population of student residents.
She stated: “We need to make sure that everyone has an equal chance to study, to have the money that they can live on and that they have a good standard of living.”
When talking about UKIP, Elizabeth states that she “fears their concepts but not as a party”, and is hopeful that voters will think green and give her the vote over the other candidates.
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