Happy 18th Birthday - From Your Mp

My eighteenth was on April 5th. I got the usual letters, and then the slightly unexpected one from the local MP. They're hardly uncommon in some areas, as some MPs or whoever you've voted in wants to connect with young people (get more votes).

So, I got a letter from James Plaskitt (Labour) basically to say congratluations, the Labour party do all sorts of neat things etc. I actually don't mind the guy, as he does a lot more than some politicians I've known in the past. It came with a little questionnaire (picture below, not good quality. The bit that came out best was my name and address, which I then blurred) where you get your standard closed questions, asking who I'm voting for and all that. I said Labour, simply because I think the UK has a hypothetical two-party system right now, similar to the United States.

Lib whos?

Well, I filled it in now, just because I'm lazy. It was quite a nice touch to the birthday though even though the guy that published it isn't really out to do me any favours right now. Anyway, I'm pretty sure loads of politicians do this, so I'm asking you if you've ever had a similar thing come through the post or email, and how you dealt with it.

I think I know three people that just threw their "gifts" away. That's no fun!

[Sentio]

At 4/27/08 10:14 AM, Scarab wrote: so I'm asking you if you've ever had a similar thing come through the post or email, and how you dealt with it.

I think I know three people that just threw their "gifts" away. That's no fun!

I received cards from all three parties in my local area for my 18th. It was quite interesting to see what each of them did, and although I would never vote based purely on something so trivial, I was quietly impressed by the personal touch on the lib dem card- it appeared to be genuinely signed (though I suspect not by the person himself) and actually arrived on the right day, where the Tories were 4 days late and Labour over a week late. Probably a sign of their desperation in a traditionally Tory dominated area.

Still, little touches like that are quite nice, even if they are just a political tool.

[ThePretenders]

My 18th birthday is on August the 7th and I have received a letter telling me to vote in the London Mayoral election on May the 1st. I don't know if it is a mistake but it's most definately not a registration form because the next election, which I am eligible in is in 2012, when I'm 21.

[bobomajo]

Wow a questionnaire, politicians send me fridge magnets and calenders with their face on it when an election is coming up.

[D2Kvirus]

I vaguely remember receiving those. Nice to know you're on a database somewhere...

[Tri-Nitro-Toluene]

I never got one of those...Richard Burden doesn't love me.... = [

[SEXY-FETUS]

I got a few of those and a razor for my 18th. Threw the political magnets and cards away. Still use that same mach 3 razor today, but it's getting harder to find blades so I'll have to switch it up soon.

[Malachy]

I have a few certificates of Merit from the former governor when I volunteered at a ski mountain when I was a teenager. They'd send some PR guy over with certificates for everyone, and the last one I received was really nice instead of the usual "good job <insert name here> you did a great job as a <insert program name here>" it was a long paragraph that got into the details of our program, and it was nice. I think one year the governor even showed up.

I also met a state senator while waiting in line at an ice cream place. He just turned around and started shaking my hand.

And lately my mailbox is flooded with letters and petitions and sad requests for money from the Libertarian National Committee.