WATCH: A play to get the youth to the voting booth

Thursday 29 March 2018

How do you convince young people to vote? One way is through a pun-tastic play which has been touring the island's secondary schools and colleges this week.

'One Day...' tells the story of a boy who thinks politics do not affect him in a bid to encourage more young people to vote.

To drive the message home, 'One day' - a partnership between the States Greffe and LoveTheatre - uses a lot of humour. It starts off explaining the Assembly via a 'Great British Bake Off' spoof and a recipe requiring 29 "dried-up" deputies and some "out-of-date" Senators. It also explains who gets to elect who and how voters can make their choice by reading the candidates' manifesto.

At the end of each performance, the cast and LoveTheatre Director Michelle Smith invite the students to register to vote simply by visiting vote.je on their smartphones. Ms Smith explained: "There is three questions: your name, your date of birth, your address. None of these should be tricky."

Addressing the JCG assembly on Wednesday, she added: "Of the 66,000 people registered to vote in the last election, only 27,000 voted. That is just over a quarter of the island. And the majority of those who voted were over 50, no one was voted in by people like you... You have been given an opportunity, just take it! Even if you vote for just one person, at least you have had your say."

Video: The play in action.

Played by Alice Veitch, Joss Macdonald and Molly Byrne-Shore, 'One Day' was commissioned by the States Greffe in a bid to drive up voting numbers among young people. Based on the Social Survey, only 28% of those aged 16 to 34 voted, whilst 71% of over 65’s voted. Lisa Hart, Deputy Greffier of the States, said: "That’s part of the reason why we have concentrated our efforts on the under 35’s this time around to get them voting so it becomes a habit."

Ms Smith explained: ”The States Greffe got in touch with us and asked us if we could produce a play for 16 to 18-year-olds informing them about what our government is made of, and how it is different from the UK, but also persuading young people to get involved in politics and vote."

The LoveTheatre director admitted that it was challenging to make a show that is "entertaining, informative and also persuasive... All of this whilst not being patronising, overwhelming or too dry.” She said: "One Day…” follows the story of a boy in Jersey who has inaccurate preconceived ideas and does not consider that he has a role to play in any local politics. We follow his journey which leads to him becoming more engaged, whilst keeping it realistic about levels of excitement that are really involved in reading manifestos!” 

Pictured: Molly Byrne-Shore, Joss Macdonald and Alice Veitch, the cast of 'One Day'.

Ms Hart explained that as Jersey is one of just 17 jurisdictions in the world that allows people under the age of 18 to vote. "It is really important that young Islanders are encouraged to register and then use their vote to choose who represents them in the States Assembly." She said she was pleased with 'One Day...', describing it as a "fun, powerful and memorable way of informing young people about our voting system." She added: "Whilst I think it will appeal to a young audience, I am confident, having seen some of Lovetheatre’s other plays, that it will also be a great way for Islanders of all ages to understand the way voting in Jersey works.”

The scripted play has already toured Beaulieu, Les Quennevais, Haute Vallee, Le Rocquier, Hautlieu, Grainville, Jersey College for Girls and Victoria College. It will conclude its run with a final performance at Highlands College. It will then be available to watch on social media and vote.je from early April. Ms Smith says she is pleased by the reception so far and hopes that it will convince young people to vote come 16 May, or even get involved in politics.

Talking to the Assembly at JCG, she told the young girls: "Of the current 49 States Members, 17 were not voted in because they were not opposed. They just walked in as no one stood against them. Now is the time to start thinking that it might be a role you are interested in, especially as women... We need more people to stand for election."