Ocean Election Tips

On May 7th 2026, many of us will be going to vote. In Scotland, there are elections for the Scottish Parliament. In Wales, there are elections for the Welsh Parliament. And in England there are local and mayoral elections happening.

Every election is an opportunity to make your voice heard – and to show those in power how much you and your wider communities care about the health of our seas. 

But it’s not just about casting your vote at the ballot box (although that is very important). There is a lot you can do in the run up to the elections next month to help show all the candidates that proper protections for our oceans are important to you. 

Back in March, Cal spoke to Rea Cris, Public Affairs Manager for the charity Open Seas, for the Election 101 episode of the Our Ocean Podcast.  

Rea has a great deal of experience of working in marine and environmental policy and advocacy and she’s keen for everyone to participate in democracy in a meaningful and impactful way. 

“Democracy is meant to be participatory. It’s a two-way conversation and we’ve lost that two-way conversation. So, if anything, this is about making sure that we get our voices heard and that people who are standing to be candidates know what’s important to us,” Rea explained. 

There are various ways in which to do this, as Rea shared during her conversation with Cal. But here are some of the simplest and most accessible:

1. Attend local hustings

These are events where candidates are invited to respond to questions put to them by members of the public. They can be organised based on geography, or based on a theme – such as nature and climate change. 

Often you’ll be able to attend online if you can’t make it in person. It’s a great way to see how candidates respond to questions about the areas you care about. Even if you don’t have the confidence to ask a question yourself, you can often “vote” on the questions others suggest to show which topics you’re most interested in. 

 

2. Read each party’s manifesto

Each political party will produce a manifesto ahead of the election. This sets out what policies and commitments they’ll focus on if they’re elected. 

Read these manifestos and pay attention to what’s not included as much as what is! If a party’s manifesto mentions little or nothing about the environment and ocean protections, you can immediately tell it’s not a priority for them. 

But even if they do talk about better protection for our seas, look at the language. Are they committing to taking action or using vague terms? We need people to be not only talking about better protection for our seas, but committing to introduce them too.

 

3. Have a conversation with canvassers

Ahead of the elections, most parties will send people out to canvas on their behalf. You might see people affiliated with a particular political party in the high street, or they may even knock on your door. 

Have a conversation with them. Rea gave us one simple question you can ask: What is your party going to do for the marine environment?

If the person you’re talking to doesn’t know, that’s okay. Ask them to feedback your passion on this subject to the candidate they’re canvassing for. 

Young people can often feel as though they’re shut out of political conversations, or that their perspectives are not taken seriously by politicians. This was one of the various topics Cal discussed with Alan Munro, Issy Jeffrey and Louis Macmillan when they appeared on the Our Ocean Podcast to talk about the astounding power of youth advocacy. 

Alan, Issy and Louis are all part of Young Sea Changers Scotland (YSCS), a marine advocacy organisation giving young people a voice. 

One of the many initiatives they’ve launched is the Youth Manifesto for Scotland’s Seas, which calls for the protection and restoration of Scotland’s seas based around four key priorities:

1. Protect biodiversity and marine habitats.
2. Tackle marine pollution and plastic waste.
3. End overfishing and promote sustainable seafood.
4. Improve ocean literacy. 

If you live in Scotland, YSCS would love you to share this manifesto with your MSP (Scottish Member of Parliament) ahead of May 7th to show your support for better protection for our seas. You can use the email template on their website.

As Issy put it, “The main reason youth voices should be included is because it’s us who are going to inherit the next generation of Scotland’s seas. And there’s been a lot of damage caused to the marine environment in the last several decades, some of which was before we were even born. I think it’s unfair that we’ll be inheriting a marine environment that is depleted, but we also have the opportunity to be the generation who make the change.”

Getting involved in politics and campaigning for the issues you care about as a young person can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. With organisations like YSCS, you won’t be alone in standing up for our oceans. 

“You’ve just got to take the leap of faith and get involved, and then suddenly you’re part of it. You’re part of this collective movement and that’s really exciting. I think what we need to do is talk to young people, give them confidence and make them feel they can take that leap of faith because the opportunities are there,” Louis explained. 

So, take action when and where you can before May 7th and then make sure you go to the ballot box wherever you live to cast your vote for the people and parties who are committing to taking action to better protect our seas.

Photo credit: Gabe Hearnshaw