An election is when you can vote for someone to become a politician and represent you when decisions are made.
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Elections, local, general and European
Politician
Politicians are ordinary people who decide they want to help run the country. They become politicians by winning an election.
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Local election
A local election is when you can vote for your local politicians, called councillors.
They make decisions about your local area and local services. In London you also have a mayor and Members of the London Assembly.
Politician
Politicians are ordinary people who decide they want to help run the country. They become politicians by winning an election.
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General election
A general election is when you can vote for who you want to become your Member of Parliament (MP). MPs work in parliament and make decisions that can affect the whole country.
MP
Your MP is a politician who represents you when it comes to making decisions about things that affect the whole country.
You can vote to choose your MP at a General Election.
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MP
Your MP is a politician who represents you when it comes to making decisions about things that affect the whole country.
You can vote to choose your MP at a General Election.
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European election
A European election is when you can vote for who you want to become your Member of the European Parliament (MEP). They work in the European Union.
MEP
MEPs are politicians you can vote for who represent you when it comes to making decisions about the European Union.
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European Union
A group of 27 countries who have joined together to decide on policies and laws.
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What you need to know
If you are going to vote in an election it will help you to find out about the different people, or candidates, you can vote for.
Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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Each candidate, is different and they may have very different ideas about things.
Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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It is important for you to choose who you want to vote for.
Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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You can find out about all the candidates who are in the election by contacting the council. You can look at the leaflets that candidates send out when there is an election coming up.
Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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Council
This is the local government where things are decided about the area you live in.
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Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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You can find out if candidates have a website and use this to see what they, or their political party, say about the election.
Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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Political party
This is a group of people who join together because they have similar ideas about things, like how to run the country.
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You might be able to listen to candidates by going to meetings called 'hustings'. You can get a group together and invite candidates along to tell you about their ideas.
Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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You can find out what candidates are saying by reading the papers, listening to the radio, or watching the news and television for special election programmes.
Candidate
A person who wants to represent the people in their area by becoming a politician. They want people in their area to vote for them at an election.
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