Assembly Presiding Officer kicks off Wales-wide tour in drive to encourage people to vote
17 November 2010
The National Assembly for Wales’s Presiding Officer, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM will be in Newtown, on Friday (19 November) to take the Vote 2011 message out to the people of Wales.
It’s the first leg of a national tour which will see him visit North, Mid and South Wales, over the next few months, in a bid to encourage people to turnout and vote next year.
The event forms part of a wider campaign, by the National Assembly for Wales, to provide objective non-partisan information to Welsh voters about the three votes they face at the ballot box next year.
2011 is a year when:
- A referendum will be held on 3 March to ask whether the National Assembly should have further law-making powers;
- On 5 May, there will be the National Assembly election to decide who should represent us in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
- On the same day as the Assembly elections, we’ll be asked whether we should elect our MPs at Westminster through a different system of voting.
The campaign will particularly focus on encouraging first-time voters, and those who don’t usually vote, to go to the ballot box twice, for these three votes, next year.
That’s why the Presiding Officer will be meeting with sixth-formers from Newtown High School to talk about how the National Assembly, and politicians in general, can engage with young people.
“It’s a very important year for us all next year,” said Presiding Officer, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM.
“We are going to be asked to not only choose who represents us in the Senedd but also whether those elected representatives should have more powers to make Welsh laws.
“That’s why I want to get to as many parts of Wales as possible and speak to people like these sixth-formers from Newtown and engage with them.
“My message is a very simple one, it’s your National Assembly for Wales, so please have your say.”
The young people from Newtown will meet with Lord Elis-Thomas on the National Assembly Outreach Bus, an interactive facility where members of the public can leave their views about Assembly business and leave messages for their local members.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to speak to the PO as many students in Wales are unaware of voting procedures,” said Head of Sixth-Form at Newtown High School student Rob Stephens.
“Our sixth- form looks at politics of Wales and England as part of the curriculum and this opportunity enhances that work.”
For further details about the Referendum and the Assembly’s Vote 2011 campaign please visit Vote 2011.
Can't make the tour?
The Presiding Officer is also asking the people of Wales to contact him through the National Assembly’s social networks. Those that can’t meet him on tour can ask their questions through our pages on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
People can either search for National Assembly for Wales on Facebook and leave a message on our wall, or tweet their questions to @assemblywales and add the hashtag #vote2011.
The Presiding Officer will either answer these questions during his tour or via the National Assembly for Wales website at a later date. Details to follow.