The Election- how did do the young voters do?

Now we know the result, it is interesting to consider how many young people went out and voted in the election. Many people who were very apprehensive over what proportion of 18-24 year olds were to actually turn up to the polling stations. A survey conducted by CosRes suggested that 1 in 4 young people did not vote. I think this is rather true. For example, out of my 6 flatmates, only 3 of us voted and interestingly they are all girls. Since 1992 the turn out from young voters in Britain has dramatically declined, but why is this? It is possibly due to the fact that now young voters must register individually on the electoral register rather than by household.

So how did we do in 2015? According to Sky News, and with thanks to the British Electoral Study, 6 out of 10 young people voted in the election. Thats more than half! This is an improvement on the last two elections, as the turn out this year was 58% compared with the 52% in 2010 and 38% in 2005. Issues such as the state of the NHS, immigration and tuition fees have all grasped the attention of young voters, however I believe its the increase of use of social media by political parties and by politicians that has really captivated the young people of Britain. For example, on May the 7th, Facebook had a automated status you could post declaring that you had taken part in the election. The continuous flow of the caption 'so and so has voted in the 2015 general election' on newsfeeds across the country may have encouraged young voters who had registered to go and submit their polling card. Also Twitter was highly active throughout the build up to the election with various politicians tweeting their manifestos which may have also enticed young people to go out and vote. Something I noticed was the emphasis placed on young women to go out and vote, with many twitter campaigns sharing images of the suffragettes furiously campaigning for the vote back in 1918 which was possibly initiated as we are nearing the one hundred year anniversary of gaining that right.

Social media is the perfect way for politicians to contact the young generation, as nearly everyone has Facebook or Twitter or some form of network that allows them to connect with people beyond the walls of their home. I therefore think in the next election of 2020, we will witness, I hope, an increase in young people actively taking part in the election because they are aware of its implications.

For me, and I know many of you out there will share this view, the vote is important for young people. I think we need to continue to turn out for the vote, don't think it doesn't concern you. Remember this government and Mr Cameron will be in power for the next 5 years. A lot can happen in this time. I will be finished university and looking for a job, which is when governmental policies will come in to play in my life. Also I agree that all you women out there should vote for all those women who gained you that right, gave up their lives and went to extreme measures. So if there is anything we can learn from this election, its keep updated on politics through social media, its more important than you may think!