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BTB was formed in April 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/160702/biting-the-ballot-the-youth-vote.thtml|title=Biting the ballot - the youth vote|work=Total Politics}}</ref> by business studies teacher David Hughesman and Michael Sani, along with other staff and students, at [[Wilmington Academy|Wilmington Enterprise College]] in [[Dartford]]. As a youth-led project, the students’ mission was to rebrand politics and prove that young people do care about improving democracy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/london/2012-04-27/candidates-seek-vote-from-young-londoners|title=Candidates seek vote from young Londoners|work=ITV News}}</ref>
BTB was formed in April 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/160702/biting-the-ballot-the-youth-vote.thtml|title=Biting the ballot - the youth vote|work=Total Politics}}</ref> by business studies teacher David Hughesman and Michael Sani, along with other staff and students, at [[Wilmington Academy|Wilmington Enterprise College]] in [[Dartford]]. As a youth-led project, the students’ mission was to rebrand politics and prove that young people do care about improving democracy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/london/2012-04-27/candidates-seek-vote-from-young-londoners|title=Candidates seek vote from young Londoners|work=ITV News}}</ref>


== Timeline ==
==History==
2010: Bite The Ballot was formed.


===2010===
2012: In April, Bite The Ballot organised the UK’s first youth voter registration rally <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/press-releases?StartRow=91|title=Press Releases|work=electoral-reform.org.uk}}</ref> at the [[Ministry of Sound]]. The event <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/apr/16/mayor-london-youth-candidates|title=Want to be mayor? Get in step with London's youth|author=Chris Berkin|work=the Guardian}}</ref> 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.{{Citation needed|date=March 2015}} The event was attended by four of the 2012 London mayoral candidates; Brian Paddick<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/news/mayor/brian-paddick-gets-down-with-the-kids-at-the-ministry-of-sound-7657343.html|title=Brian Paddick gets down with the kids at the Ministry of Sound|work=The Evening Standard}}</ref> [[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<ref>{{cite web|url=http://london2012.nus.org.uk/2012/06/13/what-does-it-mean-to-you-to-be-in-britain-in-2012/|title=What does it mean to you to be in Britain in 2012? - London 2012 – National Union of Students|work=Be a Champion. Find out how you can make the most of the once in a life time opportunity that the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games presents.}}</ref> - a UK-based art competition. The winning pieces were displayed in the UK Parliament. Later that year, ‘Rock Enrol!’ was created<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rock-enrol-engaging-young-people-in-democracy|title=Rock Enrol!®: engaging young people in democracy|work=www.gov.uk}}</ref> as part of a pilot project with the [[Cabinet Office]]'s Democratic Engagement Team. This was then digitalized into the educational resource ‘The Basics’.<ref>http://bitetheballot.co.uk/the-basics/</ref>


Bite The Ballot was founded in 2010 by current CEO Michael Sani and David Hughesman, both teachers at [[Wilmington Enterprise College in Dartford]]. They produced a short documentary to tackle the idea young people are apathetic when it comes to politics, which was promoted by the [[NUS]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nus.org.uk/en/news/bite-the-ballot/|website=National Union of Students|accessdate=5 September 2016}}</ref>
2013: Bite The Ballot launches My Manifesto,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bitetheballot.co.uk/my-manifesto/|title=BiteTheBallot » My Manifesto|work=bitetheballot.co.uk}}</ref> 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.{{Citation needed|date=March 2015}}


===2011===
2014: Following the success in 2012, Bite The Ballot wins the [[European Charlemagne Youth Prize]] for Inspired impressions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.org.uk/en/media/news/uknews2014/mar14/cypuk.html|title=UK Winner of Charlemagne Youth Prize : Inspired Impressions|work=europarl.org.uk}}</ref> In February, Bite The Ballot launched the UK’s inaugural National Voter Registration Day (UK)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31095661|title=BBC News - Election 2015: Can registration drive help turnout?|work=BBC News}}</ref> registering an estimated 50,000{{Citation needed|date=March 2015}} people in one day. Later that year Bite The Ballot launched '#TheAmendment' campaign{{Citation needed|date=March 2015}} 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<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/topic/leaders-live/|title=Leaders Live|work=ITV News}}</ref>


Whilst still teaching at Wilmington Enterprise College, Sani and Hughesman worked on a government pilot to create games and resources to encourage voter registration. The scheme was trialled in 20 schools across the country, laying the foundations for the games which serve as Bite The Ballot’s key educational initiatives such as ‘The Basics'.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Basics (2016)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEenTcm55Hw|accessdate=5 September 2016}}</ref>
2015: Ran the second annual National Voter Registration Drive, during the week of 2–8 February 2015, 441,500 people registered<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/11827608.Campaign_encouraging_young_people_to_vote_set_for_Wiltshire_schools/|title=Campaign encouraging young people to vote set for Wiltshire schools|work=This Is Wiltshire}}</ref> to vote.

===2012===

In April of 2012, Bite The Ballot organised the UK’s first youth voter registration rally, held at the [[Ministry of Sound]], In collaboration with UpRise, Reprezent Radio, Spirit of London Awards and The Media Trust.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bite The Ballot Voter Registration Rally|url=https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/event/bite-ballot-voter-registration-rally|website=Electoral Reform Society|accessdate=5 September 2016}}</ref>

The organisation also launched ‘Inspired Impressions’ - a UK-based art competition, with the winning pieces were displayed in the Houses of Parliament.
<ref>{{cite web|title=Exhibit your art or photography at Parliament|url=https://www.talenthouse.com/i/london-showcase-parliament|publisher=Talenthouse|accessdate=5 September 2016}}</ref>
‘Rock Enrol’ was also introduced this year. The pilot scheme with the Cabinet Office’s Democratic Engagement Team was designed to develop political literacy and inspire young people to engage in political debate. This later developed into the [[Ofsted]]-recommended scheme ‘The Basics’ - delivered to more than 450 schools across the UK.

===2013===

In 2013, Bite The Ballot launched ‘My Manifesto’ - a project designed to champion issues young people deemed significant. It was a collection of youth voice - policy propositions, statistics, figures and suggestions for government officials - that was presented to parliament at a launch event.

===2014===

Bite The Ballot won the [[European Charlemagne Youth Prize]] in the start of 2014, for the Impressions Art Project run in 2012.

In February, Bite The Ballot organised the UK’s first National Voter Registration Drive (NVRD. It was held on 5 February 2014 - the anniversary of the [[Great Reform Act]] of 1832. An estimated 50,000 people were registered in one day.

Later in 2014, Bite The Ballot launched ‘#TheAmendment’ to improve voter registration and engagement in Wales. Its aims were to get Electoral Registration Officers to target groups seen as less likely to register to vote, have voter registration sessions in schools and colleges, and to make registering to vote as simple and straightforward as possible.

On 24 September 2014, Members of the [[Welsh Assembly]] voted in favour of #TheAmendment. As the Welsh Assembly cannot make decisions about voting policy, a petition was delivered to Westminster.

In November of 2015, Bite The Ballot partnered with [[Twitter]] and [[ITV]] to hold the first ‘Leaders Live’ sessions. These were live interviews and Q&A sessions with four of the five main party leaders: A online campaign was sparked after Downing Street confirmed [[David Cameron]] would not be attending the Leaders Live sessions. The Leaders Live sessions were the first ever live-streamed political leaders debates.

===2015===

The second NVRD took place, with Bite The Ballot registering 441,696 people, a record, per capita, for a voting registration drive in the western world.

To coincide with the United Kingdom general election 2015, Bite The Ballot launched Verto, its gamified voting advice application.

===2016===

Verto is relaunched in April to coincide with the London mayoral and assembly elections.

In collaboration with [[Hope not hate]], Bite The Ballot also launched its ‘#TurnUp’ campaign, encouraging young citizen to register and vote in the EU Referendum that took place on June 23rd.

Alongside this, Bite The Ballot also published the first ever letter of its kind to receive cross party support from political leaders past and present, calling for increased political education. Its signatories included former Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the Labour Party, former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP, and current leader of the Green Party Natalie Bennett.


== National Voter Registration Day (UK) ==
== National Voter Registration Day (UK) ==

Revision as of 09:38, 5 September 2016

Bite The Ballot
Founded2010, Dartford, United Kingdom
FocusYouth voting, voter registration
Location
Area served
United Kingdom
MethodOnline mobilisation, grassroots organising, policy making
Key people
Michael Sani (Chief Executive) Kenny Imafidon (Partnerships and Research Coordinator)
Websitebitetheballot.co.uk

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 Wilmington Enterprise College 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]

History

2010

Bite The Ballot was founded in 2010 by current CEO Michael Sani and David Hughesman, both teachers at Wilmington Enterprise College in Dartford. They produced a short documentary to tackle the idea young people are apathetic when it comes to politics, which was promoted by the NUS.[3]

2011

Whilst still teaching at Wilmington Enterprise College, Sani and Hughesman worked on a government pilot to create games and resources to encourage voter registration. The scheme was trialled in 20 schools across the country, laying the foundations for the games which serve as Bite The Ballot’s key educational initiatives such as ‘The Basics'.[4]

2012

In April of 2012, Bite The Ballot organised the UK’s first youth voter registration rally, held at the Ministry of Sound, In collaboration with UpRise, Reprezent Radio, Spirit of London Awards and The Media Trust.[5]

The organisation also launched ‘Inspired Impressions’ - a UK-based art competition, with the winning pieces were displayed in the Houses of Parliament. [6] ‘Rock Enrol’ was also introduced this year. The pilot scheme with the Cabinet Office’s Democratic Engagement Team was designed to develop political literacy and inspire young people to engage in political debate. This later developed into the Ofsted-recommended scheme ‘The Basics’ - delivered to more than 450 schools across the UK.

2013

In 2013, Bite The Ballot launched ‘My Manifesto’ - a project designed to champion issues young people deemed significant. It was a collection of youth voice - policy propositions, statistics, figures and suggestions for government officials - that was presented to parliament at a launch event.

2014

Bite The Ballot won the European Charlemagne Youth Prize in the start of 2014, for the Impressions Art Project run in 2012.

In February, Bite The Ballot organised the UK’s first National Voter Registration Drive (NVRD. It was held on 5 February 2014 - the anniversary of the Great Reform Act of 1832. An estimated 50,000 people were registered in one day.

Later in 2014, Bite The Ballot launched ‘#TheAmendment’ to improve voter registration and engagement in Wales. Its aims were to get Electoral Registration Officers to target groups seen as less likely to register to vote, have voter registration sessions in schools and colleges, and to make registering to vote as simple and straightforward as possible.

On 24 September 2014, Members of the Welsh Assembly voted in favour of #TheAmendment. As the Welsh Assembly cannot make decisions about voting policy, a petition was delivered to Westminster.

In November of 2015, Bite The Ballot partnered with Twitter and ITV to hold the first ‘Leaders Live’ sessions. These were live interviews and Q&A sessions with four of the five main party leaders: A online campaign was sparked after Downing Street confirmed David Cameron would not be attending the Leaders Live sessions. The Leaders Live sessions were the first ever live-streamed political leaders debates.

2015

The second NVRD took place, with Bite The Ballot registering 441,696 people, a record, per capita, for a voting registration drive in the western world.

To coincide with the United Kingdom general election 2015, Bite The Ballot launched Verto, its gamified voting advice application.

2016

Verto is relaunched in April to coincide with the London mayoral and assembly elections.

In collaboration with Hope not hate, Bite The Ballot also launched its ‘#TurnUp’ campaign, encouraging young citizen to register and vote in the EU Referendum that took place on June 23rd.

Alongside this, Bite The Ballot also published the first ever letter of its kind to receive cross party support from political leaders past and present, calling for increased political education. Its signatories included former Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the Labour Party, former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP, and current leader of the Green Party Natalie Bennett.

National Voter Registration Day (UK)

Inspired by the USA’s Rock The Vote, Bite The Ballot created and launched the UK's first[7] 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[citation needed] registered to vote. During the week of 2–8 February 2015, 441,500 people registered to vote, including 166,000[8] on February 5, 2015 alone.[9]

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.

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

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.[14] Ed Miliband MP pledged to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote from May 2016.[15] In January 2015, Bite The Ballot received confirmation[16] from 10 Downing Street that David Cameron MP would not be taking part in Leaders Live[17] 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[18] backing the cause on numerous occasions.[19][20][21] Other notable supporters include Laura Whitmore, Eliza Doolittle (singer) and Max Rushden. Presenter Rick Edwards hosted the first two Leaders Live shows[22] and has worked on a joint crowd funding project[23] to raise funds for Bite The Ballot’s voting advice application. YouTuber creators such as JacksGap and Rebecca Jane Brown have also played a key role in inspiring youth engagement with Bite The Ballot.

Funding

Current and past funders[24] include the British Council the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust [25] the Open Society Foundations the Franks Family Foundation and Unbound Philanthropy.

References

  1. ^ "Biting the ballot - the youth vote". Total Politics.
  2. ^ "Candidates seek vote from young Londoners". ITV News.
  3. ^ National Union of Students http://www.nus.org.uk/en/news/bite-the-ballot/. Retrieved 5 September 2016. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ "The Basics (2016)". Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Bite The Ballot Voter Registration Rally". Electoral Reform Society. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Exhibit your art or photography at Parliament". Talenthouse. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  7. ^ Rebecca Pocklington (5 February 2014). "National Voter Registration Day: How can I register to vote? Everything you need to know - Mirror Online". mirror.
  8. ^ "This week's General Committee debates". UK Parliament.
  9. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32401218
  10. ^ "Green Party - Leaders Live [Best Bits]". YouTube. 27 November 2014.
  11. ^ "UKIP - Leaders Live [Best Bits]". YouTube. 2 December 2014.
  12. ^ "Labour - Leaders Live [Best Bits]". YouTube. 8 December 2014.
  13. ^ "Lib Dems - Leaders Live [Best Bits]". YouTube. 16 December 2014.
  14. ^ "Nigel Farage confused over Ukip's sex education policy during Leaders Live event". The Independent.
  15. ^ "Labour's Ed Miliband formally pledges to give 16-year-olds the vote during Leaders Live event". The Independent.
  16. ^ "BiteTheBallot  » #WeWantMore". bitetheballot.co.uk.
  17. ^ "Prime Minister 'too busy' to take part in Leaders Live debate". ITV News.
  18. ^ "Young people need to unite and stop being easy targets for politicians". ITV News.
  19. ^ "Youth voting group backed by Jamal Edwards and PM seeks telecoms sponsor". marketingmagazine.co.uk.
  20. ^ "Jamal Edwards: "If hundreds of thousands of kids registered, that could sway the election"". newstatesman.com.
  21. ^ "Biting the ballot: Leaders join the move to digital democracy". The Independent.
  22. ^ "Green Party - Leaders Live [Full Episode]". YouTube. 27 November 2014.
  23. ^ "Time has come for an evolution of British politics". Indiegogo.
  24. ^ "BiteTheBallot  » Who we are". bitetheballot.co.uk.
  25. ^ "Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust". jrrt.org.uk.
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