Tony Coleman, Vote Barnet!

Tony Coleman has not always worked for local government. In fact for most of the past twenty years he has been an actor, producer and director at home in Ireland and in the US. What made him make such a dramatic change of career? He recently did an MA in Cultural policy and management and sees a great similarity between the arts and politics.  That similarity is engagement.

How are you going to engage the people of Barnet in the forthcoming European elections?

I see it a little like producing a play - but it is for one day only and we want a full house! 

First I am getting out to meet as many different groups and communities as possible in the borough to find out what their interests are, what puts them off voting, what motivates them.  Do they realise that on June 4 they could be voting in the biggest transnational elections in the world?  Do they know they even have a vote? Do they know how many of the laws which affect their everyday lives originate in Brussels?

I am finding that there is a sense from many people that we are not really part of the EU and that our voices do not count.  We are trying to show that they have a genuine personal stake in the elections.

Apart from personal conversations and visits, what tools are you using in your campaign?

Direct language, simplicity of message, some humour are the ways we are approaching what we say and write, the images we will be using.  We have an initial elections awareness leaflet going into 32,000 homes, libraries, schools, community centres etc.  A call centre is opening on 27 April to answer questions about registration and voting.  We will have promotional images at the Finchley Vue and in 128 bus shelters around the borough running from April to June. We have a Facebook group and have just started Twittering.  One of the things we have discovered in our initial conversations with people is how much they dislike forms, how difficult they find them.

This is off-putting for both registration and the actual voting form.  So we are producing various practical videos designed to take the fear out of forms.  We are also hoping to hold various events in the borough and take part in events in co-operation with boroughs across the capital to raise election awareness and hopefully turnout.  We want our campaign to appeal to all ages and all groups in Barnet.  The Council is 100% behind this push to engage more with citizens on elections at local, national and European level. There is serious concern at the falling levels of voter turnout and confidence.  So far we are finding that the level of awareness that the European elections are taking place in June is very low.  By spreading the word about when they are happening and that all EU citizens across the Continent in the 27 Member States can take part, we aim to show that along with our fellow Europeans we can make a difference to how our lives are governed.

For further details see www.barnet.gov.uk/elections.
Check out the link for Vote Barnet on facebook!