Bite The Ballot

Bite The Ballot (BTB) is a party-neutral movement, based in the United Kingdom. Its mission is to empower young people to evolve UK democracy.

BTB was formed in April 2010^[1] by business studies teacher David Hughesman and Michael Sani, along with other staff and students, at a school in Dartford. As a youth-led project, the students’ mission was to rebrand politics and prove that young people do care about improving democracy.^[2]

Timeline

2010: Bite The Ballot was formed.

2012: In April, Bite The Ballot organised the UK’s first youth voter registration rally ^[3] at the Ministry of Sound. The event ^[4] was organised in collaboration with UpRise, Reprezent Radio, Spirit of London Awards and The Media Trust. The event resulted in 379 individuals being registered to vote. The event was attended by four of the 2012 London mayoral candidates; Brian Paddick^[5] Liberal Democrats, Jenny Jones (Green politician) Green Party of England and Wales, Ken Livingstone Labour Party (UK) and the independent candidate, Siobhan Benita. The organisation also launched Inspired Impressions^[6] - a UK-based art competition. The winning pieces were displayed in the UK Parliament. Later that year, ‘Rock Enrol!’ was created^[7] as part of a pilot project with the Cabinet Office's Democratic Engagement Team. This was then digitalized into the educational resource ‘The Basics’.^[8]

2013: Bite The Ballot launches My Manifesto,^[9] a research and engagement project that aimed to champion policies that people aged 16–25 identified as being significant. The results were shared with the political parties at a launch event in parliament.

2014: Following the success in 2012, Bite The Ballot wins the European Charlemagne Youth Prize for Inspired impressions.^[10] In February, Bite The Ballot launched the UK’s inaugural National Voter Registration Day (UK)^[11] registering an estimated 50,000 people in one day. Later that year Bite The Ballot launched '#TheAmendment' campaign to improve voter registration in Wales. In November, Bite The Ballot, along with ITV News and Twitter UK, hosted a live Q&A session with the main party leaders - Natalie Bennett, Nigel Farage MEP, Nick Clegg MP and Ed Miliband MP - the series is called Leaders Live^[12]

2015: Ran the second annual National Voter Registration Drive, during the week of 2–8 February 2015, 441,500 people registered^[13] to vote.

National Voter Registration Day (UK)

Inspired by the USA’s Rock The Vote, Bite The Ballot created and launched the UK's first^[14] National Voter Registration Day. The inaugural National Voter Registration Day was held on 5 February 2014, as this is the anniversary of the Great Reform Act 1832. The inaugural year saw an estimated 50,000 people registered to vote. During the week of 2–8 February 2015, 441,500 people registered to vote, including 166,000^[15] on February 5, 2015 alone.^[16]

Leaders Live

Bite The Ballot created the first live-streamed policy Q&A sessions with the main political party leaders. The project was partnered by ITV News and Twitter UK.

Ed Miliband during his live streamed Q&A at Leaders Live, taken at ITV News Studios

The interviews took place over a six-week period in late 2014:

• Natalie Bennett the Green Party of England and Wales - 26 November 2014 ^[17]

• Nigel Farage MEP UK Independence Party - 2 December 2014^[18]

• Ed Miliband MP Labour Party (UK) - 8 December 2014^[19]

• Nick Clegg MP Liberal Democrats - 16 December 2014^[20]

Leaders Live Controversy & Leaders Pledges

Nigel Farage MEP made a series of comments contradicting existing UKIP policy on sex and relationships education during the live debate.^[21] Ed Miliband MP pledged to give 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote from May 2016.^[22] In January 2015, Bite The Ballot received confirmation^[23] from 10 Downing Street that David Cameron MP would not be taking part in Leaders Live^[24] sparking a campaign calling for the Prime Minister to reconsider.

Celebrity Endorsement

Jamal Edwards, founder of SB.TV, is a long-standing Bite The Ballot ambassador^[25] backing the cause on numerous occasions.^[26][27][28] Other notable supporters include Laura Whitmore, Eliza Doolittle (singer) and Max Rushden. Presenter Rick Edwards hosted the first two Leaders Live shows^[29] and has worked on a joint crowd funding project^[30] to raise funds for Bite The Ballot’s voting advice application. YouTuber creators such as JacksGap and Rebecca Brown (vlogger) have also played a key role in inspiring youth engagement with Bite The Ballot.

Funding

Current and past funders^[31] include the British Council the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust ^[32] the Open Society Foundations the Franks Family Foundation and Unbound Philanthropy.

References