Hastings Borough Council is now carrying out its latest annual update of the Electoral Roll. Nearly 43,000 forms and promotional fliers have been sent out to homes in the town. Despite the fact that the completion and return of the registration forms is a legal requirement, there are still significant numbers of residents who decline to do so.
In the past, Governments and Local Authorities have tried to appeal to these people by promoting the importance of `having a say' and `participating in the democratic process'. As the figures show, this hasn't always been particularly effective! To try and change all that, the Council recently adopted a more emotive approach to the promotion of the Electoral Roll and the right to vote. The archives of Hastings Museum & Art Gallery and local historian Rex Marchant were raided for images depicting the struggle for democracy in Britain. Eventually, a faded black-and-white picture of a lone suffragette protester marching along Grosvenor Gardens was chosen along with the tagline "Your Voting Rights Were Won the Hard Way."
This image was then placed upon posters around town and on the fliers that accompanied the registration forms. It is hoped that the emotional resonance of the image combined with the gravity of the protest it depicts will appeal to the conscience of those who believe that voting is unimportant.
Councillor John Humphries, Cabinet Member responsible for Community Participation said:
"Voting is one of the most immediate and meaningful ways in which we can influence the decisions that shape our lives. I hope this campaign will cause a few people to stop and think about the sacrifices that have been made for many of us to have that basic human right."
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This page last updated: 15/10/2001