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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that younger people don't vote..

71 replies

Latara · 23/05/2014 10:48

Just that really.

I'm 37 and I always vote but I'm the only younger person I know who does bother voting. And I know lots of people...

Do younger people (eg.the under 50s) really not bother voting or is it just in my area (SW)? Please prove me wrong!

It's not surprising that UKIP have been successful when they appeal to mainly older voters (IMO) and older voters (pensioners mainly) are those who vote most.

The real winner of this election is 'nobody' who 'nobody' voted for I reckon.

OP posts:

brt100 · 23/05/2014 10:49

They don't vote as its a massive inconvience till online voting comes in, most of their votes will be meaningless until pr comes in and they are in a minority so are screwed over the most.

KoalaFace · 23/05/2014 10:53

I'm 28 and DH is 32 and we always vote. My friends always vote too. My younger DB and DSis are 24 and 20 and they wouldn't dream of not voting.

So in my experience the young people around me are quite engaged in politics. But on a bigger scale? I suspect you are right.

KoalaFace · 23/05/2014 10:53

And I agree with you brt online voting makes good sense.

pinkstinks · 23/05/2014 10:55

I'm 25 and always vote, but I'm a rampant feminist and studied politics at Uni, probably not representative...

littlewhitebag · 23/05/2014 10:59

My DD is 21 and LOVES voting. She was sad she couldn't vote yesterday as she was away and hadn't registered for a postal vote. Both DD's are looking forward to voting in the Scottish referendum. DD2 is 16 and ecstatic at getting a chance to vote in this.

TheSporkforeatingkyriarchy · 23/05/2014 11:19

All of the people I know who told me they couldn't be bothered to vote were over 40.

AmeliaToppingLovesShopping · 23/05/2014 11:20

I'm 35 and voted, also SW. I haven't heard anybody else my age say if they are voting or not. The people I saw at the polling station I had to go to and the one next to the preschool were all elderly, but that was during working hours.

BigArea · 23/05/2014 11:24

There was only a 34% turnout for the locals in our ward I must admit to finding it quite chilling seeing the BNP and UKIP on my voting slip

bruffin · 23/05/2014 11:26

My 18 year old voted for the first time yesterday. I have always voted since i was 18 and so has DH.Nearly missed it yesterday as i didnt realise it was voting day until i read on MN. DH and DS voted on the way home.

Original poster

Latara · 23/05/2014 12:06

Glad to see that people on here voted anyway.

OP posts:

Original poster

Latara · 23/05/2014 12:08

I agree that online voting would encourage more younger people to vote.

OP posts:

HaplessHousewife · 23/05/2014 12:12

I've voted in every election since I was 18.

The results in my area (SE) aren't in yet but we normally have a turn out much higher than the UK average even though the average age of the population is decreasing so I think younger people round here vote.

I voted on the school run yesterday morning and there seemed to be a few voting on the way to the station.

MyDarlingClementine · 23/05/2014 12:20

Nope, Loads of younger people round our, way, friends children and family and stuff voted here...we saw a good mix at our voting station...

ElleMcFearsome · 23/05/2014 12:25

Eldest DD (18) was v excited to vote for the first time yesterday. We went about 6pm and there were actual queues (not long ones but queues all the same) for the voting booths. I would say that about 50% of the people there were under 30. This gives me hope

bachsingingmum · 23/05/2014 12:26

My DD just 23 is working for a year in Germany. She could vote either there or here. She thought it was more important to vote here (passionately anti UKIP) and was asking on almost a daily basis if the ballot papers had come through. I had to post them to her the moment they arrived. So no - younger people do vote.

SueDoku · 23/05/2014 12:27

What really get to me is when people moan on about politics and politicians - but when you ask whether they vote, they say no...! For goodness sake, use your vote to resister your protest, don't just whinge on...

iK8 · 23/05/2014 12:31

37 isn't that young

Surely younger people is those under about 25?

Lots of different people don't vote. I think you're right there seems to be more apathy from people our age (30s) who have busy lives with children, work and everything else and just don't really have time to work out which party/politician we dislike the least and then go and vote for them.

CateBlanket · 23/05/2014 12:32

37 doesn't make you a younger voter, OP!

mizu · 23/05/2014 12:33

I have always voted and it really gets my goat when people moan and don't. Neither of my brothers voted yesterday and nor did my mum or sister. The polling station was in the hall of our school so I took my DDs along to show them how it was done

MrsBartlet · 23/05/2014 12:33

I have never not voted in an election (although being in my forties don't really think of myself as a younger person!) Have always taken the dc with me to vote (generally accompanied with a lecture about suffragettes!) Dd turns 18 the day before the general election next year and she can't wait to vote.

iK8 · 23/05/2014 12:34

Someone described herself as "a young mum" the other day. My first thought was "yuk" and my second thought was "you're 32, you're not a young mum!"

SouthernComforts · 23/05/2014 12:34

I'm 21 and I voted yesterday. The person I voted for didn't win. Feel a bit meh about it all really.

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 23/05/2014 12:38

DD isn't quite old enough to vote, but said that several of her friends at school had gone along in their lunch break. They'd been discussing who to vote for and all the various policies in form time apparently.

Mine can't wait to vote in the general election.

ChubbyKitty · 23/05/2014 12:38

I'm 22, I always vote. I also get very annoyed when people whinge about the government then don't vote to try and fix it. But 99% of my similar aged friends vote and the ones I can think of who don't, don't really seem to moan that much.

I feel like I can't not vote, women died so that I could. But that's just my feelings and I understand that not everyone cares about that(which is okay too).

Yanbu and yab a bit u OP, I know there are people my age out there who don't bother and then moan and I just can't grasp it, but there are lots of us that do and take an interest in the state of our government and there is still some hope. I think..

YouTheCat · 23/05/2014 12:38

I'm 44. I've never missed a vote.

My dd is 19 and voted for the first time yesterday and she knows how important it is.

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