The UK general election is now upon us and it is time for the people to let the politicians in charge know what they want.

We can complain all we want about politicians and parties, but unless we vote there will never be any change. It is a well-known fact that many 18-24-year-olds do not take the time to register to vote and then actually voting. There are an infinite number of reasons why you should vote in the general election – here are five that came to mind as I walked to the polling station this morning. 1. Democracy isn’t something to be taken for granted There are many places in the world where people don’t even get the opportunity to vote. You have the chance to actually have a say in how your country is run, where the majority gets listened to and the government takes them into account. Why wouldn’t you vote? 2. If you don’t vote you won’t get what you want With so few young people voting, how will politicians know what you want? If you don’t show the people in charge how you want your country to be run it won’t be run like that. Also, there is a reason politicians spend so much time campaigning and speaking to people – every vote really does count. 3. Vote blank If you don’t agree with any of the parties, hand in a blank vote. Not voting won’t make any difference at all, but leaving your ballot blank is a great way of protesting against the fact that there are no parties out there for you. 4. Make sure your age group is represented Unless enough of every kind of British person votes, Parliament won’t be an accurate representation of the country. Without accurate representation, laws matching the views of the people won’t be created. It all goes back to the fact that unless you vote you won’t get what you want – tell politicians what your views are so they can be taken into account. 5. It’s so easy to vote From when you’re 16 you can register to vote, and when the general election rolls around you get a polling card in the post and just follow the instructions. It couldn’t be easier, and yet so many young people refrain from doing it. JCI UK is a non political organisation however we believe young people's voices should be heard. Use your vote and ensure the people sitting in parliament hear your voice. See you on the other side! Michael