Uber lends its brand to UK general election voter registration drive
Uber will play its part in getting out the vote during the UK general election on 8 June by showing British customers of the global ride-hailing app a link to the official voter registration page for three days from Friday as they book their ride.
Uber lends its brand to UK general election campaign
The intervention is aimed at boosting the numbers of young people on the electoral roll with an exhortation for people ‘not to be a passenger’ in the election campaign but instead get in the driving seat.
Uber’s brand extension is being spearheaded by Bite the Ballot (BTB), a group seeking to bolster political engagement amongst young people by ‘hijacking’ digital platforms with which they are more accustomed – such as a Tinder takeover during the EU referendum.
As part of this campaign BTB will also take over Twitter’s UK account on Monday in a publicity blitz geared toward encouraging registrations before the window to do so slams shut. This follows analysis by the Electoral Reform Society which found that the number of 16-17 year olds registered to vote had slid by 27% over the past three years.
At issue is believed to be a rule change ushering in individual electoral registration in 2014, which ended the right of parents or guardians, as well as universities, to register under their charge with the right to vote.