Students, staff and residents living within the polling district that covers the Penryn Campus will, for the first time, be able to cast their vote at next year’s General Election.

The university campus falls within the Camborne and Redruth constituency and while it will become a polling |station for the first time on May 7, electors living on the western side of the bypass will continue to vote at Mabe Community Hall.

The move has been welcomed as one of Falmouth and Exeter Students’ Union’s (FXU) priorities for the year is to increase student participation in democracy. The team, led by FXU president student experience, Roger Auster, is working all year to |encourage students in the lead up to the General Election. This provides a great opportunity for students to take part alongside the local community, especially as our students are from |two marginal constituencies so their vote can have a huge impact on Cornwall,” said Roger.

FXU’s campaign, entitled FXU Mission: My Vote Matters, launched last year to great success and featured a debate on the Penryn Campus between local candidates. Two further debates per constituency (four in total) are planned for later in the academic year, giving students the chance to share ownership of their future with the wider Cornish community.

The Penryn Campus polling station will benefit the 1,600 students living in Glasney Village as well as residents of the Camborne and Redruth constituency. FXU will also be running shuttle buses for students living in Falmouth to vote as part of the Falmouth and Truro constituency.

Registered electors who live in the polling district that covers the campus will be able to vote in The Compass, located on the ground floor of The Exchange building between 7am and 10pm and free parking will also be available for up to an hour on the day.