Back to News

Blog

UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF YOUR VOTE 

If you live in the UK, it is very likely that you will have seen information about registering to vote in upcoming elections this year, and possibly LGBT Foundation’s own Vote with Pride resource. While that information is vital to understand the process of voting – including matters such as the registration processes, voter ID, and different ways to vote – it is also important to understand the power of your vote. 

According to the 2021 Census, England & Wales has more than 1.5 million LGBTQ+ people living in its borders, a number that is bigger than the current NHS workforce or the total number of people to have ever run the London Marathon. The voting power of every single LGBTQ+ adult matters. 

The LGBTQ+ population of the UK is particularly invested in some major issues that affect our lives, whether they be direct impacts on our experiences as queer people or broader impacts on how we live in this country. Apart from being interested in LGBTQ+ equality, a survey that LGBT Foundation is still conducting has already found voter interest in a wide range of issues, including (but not limited to): 

• Education 
• Healthcare 
• Environment & Climate 
• Housing 
• Migration 
• Refuge & Asylum 
• Public Spaces & Public Safety 
• Equality for people based on disability, race, etc. 

We want to give you a brief overview of how these issues are affected at various levels of government and decision-making, so voters can have the best information about their choices. Remember, not all issues are affected equally at all levels of government, so it is crucial to understand the difference your vote can make at each level. 

General Election 

This is the most commonly understood election in the UK and the one that tends to have the highest voter turnout. Voters choose the MP who will represent their constituency in the House of Commons in Westminster, and the party with the most MPs (usually more than half of the membership of the House of Commons) will form the UK Government. By voting in the General Election, you can impact the following: 

• Equality Law – The content and implementation of national legislation, which determines the foundational legal and political frameworks that everyone has to follow. This includes how equality law is understood and practised in the UK. 
• Debates – The debates around and scrutiny of national legislation, including the information that MPs present in the House of Commons to influence decision-making. 
• The National Budget – this determines funding for all national services such as the NHS, as well as matters related to taxation rates and benefits. 
• National Climate Policies – this includes how the UK engages with global approaches to climate justice and environmentalism. 
• Foreign Policy – this includes immigration law, relationships with specific countries and international organisations, and decisions around humanitarian aid and interventions. 
• National Commemorations of Public Holidays and Events – this includes when MPs introduce information about specific communities directly in the House of Commons (such as on dates like International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, LGBT History Month, and Transgender Day of Remembrance). 

Local Elections 

Held every 2-4 years (depending on the relevant local authority), these elections determine who will run your council. Voters elect councillors who sit on city or borough councils, and this means that they take a more localised and ground-level view of issues compared to MPs in Westminster. Some local elections also see votes cast for mayors and for police and crime commissioners, though this does not happen at every local authority – so remember to check who you will be voting for this year! By voting in the local elections, you can impact who is responsible for the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of local areas. This can include: 

• The Provision of Local Services – local authorities are responsible for a broad range of services that can be important pillars of support in local communities, including: 

• adults’ and children’s social and health care services 
• maintaining public housing and supporting the homeless 
• public transport provision  
• waste management/rubbish collection 
• public parks and spaces 
• Supporting schools, colleges, youth and age-friendly services 

Depending on your local authority, this is determined by a combination of a city/borough council and a mayor, unless your authority does not have a mayor. 

• Local and Regional Budgets – these determine the funding available for the services listed above, as well as matters related to council tax and local benefit schemes. Depending on your local authority, this is determined either by a city/borough council or by a mayor. 
• Supporting Local Voluntary and Community Sector Services – includes the investment of council money towards community-based health and wellbeing services, such as local LGBTQ+ charities, advice centres, or homelessness support services. 
• Police & Crime – as well as monitoring the work of local police and fire rescue services, Police and Crime Commissioners can be responsible for effective police forces within their area of concern as well as the implementation of police and crime plans, which can include specific concerns around hate crime and discrimination. 
• Refuge & Asylum Support – The provision of services for people seeking refuge and asylum, including the oversight of migrant accommodation, personal finance, and resettlement schemes for people with specific nationalities (such as the ongoing resettlement schemes for people seeking refuge from Ukraine and Afghanistan). 

While it might feel like one individual vote might not matter in the bigger picture, you should always remember that you have the power to influence change in meaningful ways. Voting is one of those methods. So don’t lose out on your chance to have a say. #VoteWithPride