The 2024 General Election is just around the corner, and it's crucial that young people make their voices heard. Unfortunately, the youth vote has been in decline, with only 54% of 18-24-year-olds turning out to vote in the 2019 election. This trend is alarming, as it suggests that young people are disengaging from the democratic process and losing faith in the system.
So today, we’re asking the OMBLES to help get the word out that EVERY VOTE MATTERS.
One Minute Brief of the Day:
Create posters to encourage young people to register to vote ahead of tonight's midnight deadline! gov.uk/register-to-vote #RegisterToVote
Tweet your entries to @OneMinuteBriefs & with the hashtag #RegisterToVote
You can also mention the likes of @ElectoralCommUK, @GovUK, @mylifemysay, @iwill_movement & @ShapeHistory
Deadline for submissions 6pm BST. Remember your Twitter handle in the top-left corner of entries.
£50 cash prize for today’s winner!!
Background:
The decline of the youth vote is not a new phenomenon. In fact, the number of people voting in elections has been declining since 1997. This decline is particularly concerning among young people, who are more likely to be affected by the policies and decisions made by policymakers. The UK general election turnout rate for those aged 65 and over has consistently been at least 20 percentage points higher than for those aged 18-24. This creates an aging democracy, where policymakers may prioritize the interests of older voters over those of younger generations.
Young people, particularly those from poorer backgrounds and with fewer educational qualifications, are less likely to engage with democratic processes. This creates an ageing democracy, where policymakers may prioritize the interests of older voters over those of younger generations.
Young people face several barriers to voting, including:
Believing their individual vote doesn't count
Lack of trust in politicians
Perceiving voting as time-consuming
Requiring ID to vote
Goals
Achieve the highest youth vote turnout ever, empowering young people to shape the future and hold policy makers accountable.
It takes just 15 minutes to vote, but a lot of young people don’t see the importance or value in undertaking this effort.
Generation Vote is the biggest youth vote movement ever. Join us in empowering young people to shape the future and hold policymakers accountable. Together, we can create a more inclusive and representative democracy.
Make your voices heard, inspire a new generation of voters and shape the future together.
