How Do We Get The Younger Generation Interested In Voting?

[RJRB 688]

Bring the whole system into the 21st century.

Get rid of the archaic voting divisions in Parliament,along with many other "traditions" and then enable voting by electronic means instead of trooping off to the polling stations.

If you could vote by smart phone there would be a dramatic rise in participation.

My other concern is how do we keep older people voting.I have never missed voting so far,but get increasingly tempted as I find it hard to support the current crop of career politicians.

Edited February 24, 2015 by RJRB

[tzijlstra 11]

By stopping them seeing that no matter what they vote, they are almost guaranteed to get one of two parties regardless. As far as I can work out this is predominantly a British phenomenon, in the Netherlands and Germany young people do vote (although less than the 25-65 group).

 

Someone tell me why a young person should vote here in S6? It has been a Labour seat for 80 years.

[Anna B 1,414]

What new system is that then? How are they designing it if they are not voting?

 

RJRB above has some ideas as you can see. Other youngsters also have loads of new ideas. We really do need to bring our political methods into the 21st century.

Please see my earlier post number 5

[geared 317]

People don't vote because they see straight through their bullcrap promises and see the corrupt liar behind the glitz.

 

It's hard to get people engaged when all they see is a self-serving, lying puppet.

[barleycorn 10]

Somehow convince them that the politicians they are voting for have their best interests at heart?

Bring the voting system into the 21st century to make it fairer, more balanced and representative? None of this FPTP crap.

 

jb

[Berberis 10]

Make it a legal requirement like Australia.

[woodmally 10]

Make it a legal requirement like Australia.

 

To be honest I agree with you. If they dont agree with any party they are still free to spoil their ballot paper at least it shows participation.

 

I dont mind people who turn up and spoil their paper it shows they are willing to turn up.

[barleycorn 10]

Make it a legal requirement like Australia.

 

I remain to be convinced that compulsory voting is the way forward... preferential voting on the other hand...

 

jb

[Berberis 10]

To be honest I agree with you. If they dont agree with any party they are still free to spoil their ballot paper at least it shows participation.

 

I dont mind people who turn up and spoil their paper it shows they are willing to turn up.

 

Same here, but in general, its my experience that those who complain that there are no parties that represent their views, when asked if they have read all party manifestos give you a blank look. When challenged they then go onto the age old "All parties are the same and can't be trusted" routine

[Harrystottle 10]

Politicians would love compulsory voting because it would disguise the ever growing disconnect between the rulers and the ruled.

 

"We ORDER you to vote so that we may demonstrate to the world what an engaged democracy we are". No thanks.

[truman 10]

Politicians would love compulsory voting because it would disguise the ever growing disconnect between the rulers and the ruled.

 

"We ORDER you to vote so that we may demonstrate to the world what an engaged democracy we are". No thanks.

 

There just needs to be a "None of the Above" option on the paper...and the number ticking this box need to be announced in the same way as the votes cast for the aspiring MPs....

[Anna B 1,414]

The bottom line is they have to make it worth the effort to vote. With the current system it clearly isn't. We have to get back to real democracy.

 

For the moment I'd also settle for a 'none of the above' option, with an announcement of the figure on the hustings.