Ballot paper: This is the piece of paper you use to make your vote. It shows a list of candidates and voters have to write a cross next to their choice.
Candidate: A person who wants to be elected or has been nominated to be elected is called a candidate.
Canvasser: People who want a candidate to win can help them by becoming a canvasser for their election campaign. A canvasser asks voters who they will vote for and tries to get as many people as possible to vote for their candidate.
Constituency: The UK is divided up into 646 areas called constituencies. The voters in each constituency get to elect 1 MP to represent the people in their area.
Election campaign: Around election time, candidates and their supporters organise events and activities to convince people that they are the best person to vote for.
Electoral register: Across the UK there are electoral registers. These are lists of all the people who have decided they want to vote at elections. You must have your name on this list before you can vote.
Electorate: This is what we call everyone who is able to vote in an election.
Government: The institution which runs the country. The Prime Minister selects the Members of the Government from MPs, Lords and very occasionally senior people outside Parliament.
Manifesto: This is something that political parties write around the time of an election, which tells us what they would do if the got elected. A manifesto usually contains pledges (plans of action) on important issues and is often a big part of the election campaign.
MP: At a general election, the people in a constituency (area) can vote to decide who will represent them in Parliament. The person they choose is called a Member of Parliament or an MP.
Parliament: Where new laws are debated and created.
Poll card: This card is sent to everybody who is registered to vote – it has important information about the election like when, where and what time to vote.
Referendum: A type of election where people vote “yes” or “no” on whether a proposal is accepted or rejected. This means that the general public makes the decision directly, rather than their elected representatives doing it for them.
School Council Election
What is a School Council Election?
In many schools, a group of students are chosen to represent all the other students at meetings with the head teacher and other important people in the school. This group of students is called the School Council. A School Council Election gives students the chance to decide who represents them.
Who can vote?
Every student in the school is eligible to vote.
What do candidates do during a campaign?
School Council election campaigns are all slightly different. Yours might involve:
• Making speeches or having debates in assembly.
• Going around school at lunchtime to meet other students and convince them to vote for you!
• Making flyers, posters, rosettes, badges or even a website to get voters on your side.
Remember - always get a teacher's permission before running a campaign activity in school!
How does a School Council Election work?
Voting systems vary from school to school. Typically, students will go to a polling station (perhaps a designated classroom) where they are given a ballot paper. They will then put a cross next to the name of their chosen candidate and post their paper into the ballot box. After the election, the votes will be carefully counted and the winner(s) announced in assembly. Next, the winners must start the hard job of representing their fellow students!
Where can I find out more about school councils?
Involver is a charity that produces resources to help students and teachers get School Councils running and working.