If we don't vote we cannot complain

The same principal applies to elections.

If we don’t vote ourselves, we require someone else to choose for us – and look at the results.

We have a deteriorating NHS with GP’s in crisis, school budgets are declining, class sizes are growing with classrooms poorly heated while Stormont squanders public money heating empty sheds through the RHI scandal. Too many of us, especially the young first time voters, feel forgotten and ignored. We feel the politicians don’t represent us and that voting will change nothing, but if we stay at home we leave it to others who will make the same choice they have always made.

This time we can reject those who have dominated Stormont’s squabbles for the past 10 years; under PR where no vote is wasted, we can vote for the smaller parties that want to change Northern Ireland and move away from past failures.

Other recent elections have shown when first time voters come out in force that real change is possible.

It is time for us to shock some sense into Stormont, let’s vote for real change.

Arnold Carton, Belfast BT6