Workshop: Municipal elections for "Dummies"

In this workshop we inform the youth about how voting works and we let them fill out sample election papers.

This workshop is supposed to inform about the municipal elections and to give an overview on what is important to know about it. Young people should be motivated to use their right to vote and with the help of this workshop they will find out how. It gives some basic information, explains how to fill out the ballot paper and gives a short overview on the ideas of certain parties.

The Brexit shocked us and showed us that the EU is not stable if people don't raise and make their voices heard. In polls it has been found out that especially old or "elder" people voted for it and that the youth in general didn't want to leave the EU. Unfortunatly the youth didn't show up at the elections and now there are important consequences. That's why we find it especially important to reach out to the (political not interested) youth and make them aware that their voice and therefore going to the elections (or voting by mail, which is possible in Germany) to avoid such actions in the future.

you need young, political active people, who enjoy talking infront of the participants (at least two recommended). The facilitator should not be active in formal politics/political parties - shehe should be able to approach all parties objectively.

1. Presentation of who we are 2. Quiz 3. Sharing ideas about how can we improve our city 4. Group exercises: reading a text of a political party.

a blackboard (or whiteboard) would be useful for pinning the partys and their ideas with magnets onto it

You should get in touch with schools, youth organisations and youth centres. Call the schools in advance to ask if it is possible to walk into the classrooms to present the workshop and talk to the pupils directly. You should use flyer and posters to show the people what you are planning. Promote the event online, to reach even more people. You can also, as we did it, walk around in your town and talk to the target people directly. Give them a flyer and inform them about what you are planning. Maybe it is possible to cooperate with youth centres so that they can also promote your activity on their websites and on social media.

a blackboard (or whiteboard) would be useful for pinning the partys and their ideas with magnets onto it

Further exercise: we explain the voting process with the help of our .ppt. After this is done, we let them do a sample voting, they vote for a (fictive) mayor and a (fictive) party. Afterwards we randomly take voting sheets and show them on the big wall if everything was done accordingly to the German (local) voting system. We ask for feedback in general. They tell us which parts where interesting/boring/new to them/etc. Hopefully our participants go to the election or vote by mail.