Posted On: 27 Jun 2018
The first ever National Democracy Week starts on Monday 2 July and Calderdale Council is marking the occasion with a special event at The Piece Hall in Halifax.
National Democracy Week aims to encourage more people to get involved in democracy and increase voting participation across the UK.
The #Vote100 event at The Piece Hall will take place on Tuesday 3 July from 1pm to 3pm, celebrating both National Democracy Week and the centenary of the first votes for women.
The 1918 Representation of the People Act was a package of reforms that extended the vote to 12.9 million men and, for the first time, 8.4 million women over the age of 30.
The free #Vote100 event is open to everyone, and will celebrate this momentous time in history, with music from Calderdale Council’s choir and talks from inspirational women, demonstrating what has been achieved by women before and since the 1918 vote.
Speakers will include:
Members of Calderdale Council’s Electoral Services team will be on hand for people to find out more about the voting process and help people register to vote.
Calderdale Council’s Chief Executive and Returning Officer at elections, Robin Tuddenham, said:
“The first ever National Democracy Week will see events taking place right across the UK and I’m delighted that events in Halifax will focus on the centenary of the first votes for women.
“The right to vote is something many of us now take for granted, but by learning more about the suffragette cause, I hope people who may not already be registered to vote take the opportunity to do so, given the sacrifices made by those who fought for this right in the past.”