Democracy

During my campaign to become a councillor to stand up for City of Leeds School and for our community I heard a lot about students:

student mess
student noise
student cars
student apathy

And I have to wonder why it is so bad in Leeds. Is it this bad in other cities?

Then, when I was leafleting one day, I went into a university residence and asked if I could deliver to the student flats.

I was told, "No."
Apparently the only way to get electoral material to these voters was to post it by royal mail.
I explained that I thought this was unethical as, being an independent I have very little money and couldn't afford a mail shot. I told the officer I spoke to that I would have to take the matter further as voters have a right to have access to electoral material.

I was thinking yesterday about writing a letter to Leeds University about this - students are adults and registered voters but how can we expect them to participate in our community and our democracy if they aren't allowed the information on which to base their choices? No wonder they are accused of apathy but who can blame them when they aren't even aware there's an election, never mind know what the issues are?

Then I got a call from the university - the powers that be have actually listened and have decided that from now on any candidate may leaflet the residences by delivering individually addressed leaflets batched by block to the site office of the residence concerned.

Definitely a victory for democracy!