Waltham Forest’s MPs, councillors and local campaigners were out in force on Saturday asking local residents from the Black and Minority Ethnic communities to register to vote. Only one third of Londoners of African origin is on the electoral register, meaning that thousands of them may miss out on their chance to vote in May’s local elections. Operation Black Vote campaigners and a multitude of local campaigners and volunteers, were joined by MPs Neil Gerrard and Harry Cohen, Greater London Assembly Member Jennette Arnold, and local councillors.
I organised the drive as part of the ‘5 Million Strong’ campaign, which aims to register 5 million ethnic minority Londoners by the deadline of March the 13th. I am delighted that Operation Black Vote came to my borough.
If there are any Leyton ward residents from the BME community reading this and you have not yet registered to vote please don’t miss your chance! Not being registered doesn’t only mean missing out on voting, the non-registered also run the risk of being refused credit cards, bank accounts – and even jobs!
Call Waltham Forest Council on 020 8496 4562 or download an electoral registration form from www.walthamforest.gov.uk before March the 13th!
******************************************************************************************
Mum Jane (above in orange) joins the campaign drive alongside OBV campaigners. Mum found Hafis, a seventeen year old Walthamstow resident, whom she taught when Hafis was nine! How time flies………….
Me with Darren, aged 24. He’s going to vote this year!
GLA member Jennette Arnold hard at work.
Street wardens sign up.
For more information about the work of Operation Black Vote please go to: www.obv.org.uk