How Do We Get The Younger Generation Interested In Voting?

[crookedspire]

Parties of all colours seem to target the so called 'grey vote' purely down to the fact that generation do vote. The problem with this is when that generation passes on and the next generation either rarely vote or don't vote at all the political system will face a crisis so how can we get the younger generation engaged in politics and voting?

[Mister M]

I think things are very cynical nowadays and if politicians tried to appeal to young people, the young people would see through it very quickly, and would probably feel like they were being targeted as some demographic to be captured: like 'hard working families', 'Mondeo Man' or some other lazy and stupid name that spin doctors like to call voters.

 

I think feeling like they have a stake in society is one part of it; and ideas of the parties is another (i.e. differences in vision of political parties, rather than difference in emphasis between parties). A sense that their vote matters would be helpful, so that if they live in a safe seat, then in a way their vote appears to matter less.

 

The recent Scottish election had young people engaged because their vote mattered, there wasn't some stupid and patronising name given to certain groups of voters (that I'm aware of); issues were discussed, and there seemed to be a freshness and honesty about the election. Votes seemed to matter, and the debate didn't feel staged or controlled.

 

I was watching Newsnight & there was a discussion between 3 families and their youngsters about the election, & it was one of the most depressing things I've watched in a long time....the participants didn't seem to join up the dots, rather talking in a smug fashion about why should they vote because 'what's in it for them', and then whinging about politicians who are all 'in it for themselves'

Edited February 23, 2015 by Mister M

[Super Hans]

Free spliff with every vote.

[Stoatwobbler]

Explain that the people who don't vote, be it the young or the poor are the ones who the politicians will seek to attack.

 

I attended a hustings meeting at the last general election and I was the youngest one there by a distance. If the only voters politicians see are the elderly those are the only voters they will do anything for.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Stoatwobbler
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[Anna B]

I think the current system is not fit for purpose. It was designed for toffs and still has the most ridiculous myriad of anachronisms and traditions that we could well do without if we want a parliament for the 21st Century. I'm embarrassed when I compare it to other countries. Is it a tourist attraction or a place of work?

 

This is the age of the internet, the Information superhighway, instant communication and a rapidly changing techno age, and still our political system is mired in the 19th century of Victorian customs and set in a crumbling old building, a palace no less, also not fit for purpose. Just because it's all been done in the same way for years doesn't make it good, but rather the opposite. Keep it as an ancient tourist attraction by all means, but don't expect it to inspire youngsters.

 

Surely the way to engage young voters is to give it the whole system a radical overhaul it so desperately needs, with new, more efficient ways of doing things, and let them have a say in the design of that. I'd start with a competition to come up with new ways of doing things and a new building to do them in.

 

The old fogies will cough and splutter and protest, (they want to preserve their elitism after all,) so get rid of them, and let the younger ones have a go.

 

They couldn't do any worse.

[woodmally]

Parties of all colours seem to target the so called 'grey vote' purely down to the fact that generation do vote. The problem with this is when that generation passes on and the next generation either rarely vote or don't vote at all the political system will face a crisis so how can we get the younger generation engaged in politics and voting?

 

If politicians stopped being all spin and no action and tried not to be cool then young people would care.

 

Take the tuition fees and the lib dems as a good example. The Lib Dems got elected on a student vote ticket. In fact there were queues outside the voting booths when Nick Clegg got in. Yet when he was in coaltion and they had the tuition fees vote he voted with the government. He could have voted against and the tories couldnt have done anything about it. So those young people who voted for the first time would now feel disalousioned and fed up and rightly so.

[Agent Orange]

Parties of all colours seem to target the so called 'grey vote' purely down to the fact that generation do vote. The problem with this is when that generation passes on and the next generation either rarely vote or don't vote at all the political system will face a crisis so how can we get the younger generation engaged in politics and voting?

 

MP's need to engage more with kids in schools and colleges for a start.

[woodmally]

MP's need to engage more with kids in schools and colleges for a start.

 

To be fair they used too. When I went to school in the 97 election we had Irvine Patnick (a guy I couldnt stand but at least he turned up), Alan (some libdem bloke) and Helen Jackson. So they do make an effort.

[Harrystottle]

Why should the young bother to vote if they don't want to? Perhaps they have a perfectly clear view of our political elite and don't like what they see?

 

The bottom line is that the percentage of people voting is dropping, and politicians don't like that. They like to pretend that we are an engaged participative democracy.

 

We aren't. The falling percentage of people voting is a perfectly accurate reflection of how the public see the politicians.

 

Why participate in this farce of a democracy, why give it any validity by voting?

[Agent Orange]

To be fair they used too. When I went to school in the 97 election we had Irvine Patnick (a guy I couldnt stand but at least he turned up), Alan (some libdem bloke) and Helen Jackson. So they do make an effort.

 

Been a while since I was at school. I don't recall us having the privilege of having MPs visit us, well apart from the one who went to our school as a kid (William Hague).

 

Good to hear that some do get involved. I would love to see more of that, maybe on the community front as well (youth clubs and such).

 

---------- Post added 24-02-2015 at 13:05 ----------

 

Cyril Smith was good at that wasn't he!

 

Allegedly