Rawlett Community Sports College

Students at Rawlett Community Sports College in Tamworth are to take part in the upcoming General Election, by holding their own mock election on polling day, voting for the real candidates for Tamworth’s MP position.

Last election, current Labour MP, Brian Jenkins saw his majority cut to 2,569 and this election will see Tamworth a focus point for the other parties.

In the run up to Polling day, students at Rawlett Community Sports College are being given the opportunity to experience the ‘circus’ surrounding a general election.

During the election, Rawlett will be used as the location for the Tamworth ‘count’ and host the BBC who will be there to release Tamworth’s result as it happens (usually around 1am).  Utilising this opportunity, teachers at Rawlett are hoping to engage students to address the fact that many youngsters feel disenfrnachised by politics.

All of Tamworth’s candidates have been invited to take part in a BBC Question Time style debate, where students can ask the towns candidates after being addressed by each of them.

Then on election day, in a first for Tamworth, students will be able to cast their vote in a mock up of a real polling booth for their candidate of choice.   The candidates will be those actually standing for Tamworth’s MP.  When their mock poll has closed, the votes will be passed to the towns real returning officer who’s staff will count the votes.  The results of the student vote will then be declared.  Students will be present throughout the entire process and will field their views.

This event is the first of it’s kind as students have never been at the actual count.  We here at Tamworth Blog will also follow the thoughts of the students throughout the campaign and of course cover the election in full throughout the coming months.