to think that the young will surprise us today and vote in larger than usual numbers

[thinkiamgoingcrazy]

I'm hoping the outcome is a hung parliament which allows a progressive alliance to form.

Interesting article.

My Ds is 20,and voting, his girlfriend is 19 and also voting.

They'll vote tory as well. Not all young people want a free ride at uni.

I met a group of young people who all said they'd vote Tory

That kind of surprised me!

Trouble is there is voter apathy because of the language people use in elections. Polls predicting results, "safe"seats, people saying oh well the torys will win for sure.

Why would people bother to go out of their way to vote if they have been told repeatedly that it is already a done deal.
The amount of times I've heard on here about the Tory's being a sure thing. How do you know? who told you? Unless you are certain don't go spouting your opinion like it's a fact.

Anything can happen and there is in reality no such thing as a safe seat. Polls can't predict with any accuracy it's all just guess work go vote your way and maybe you will win.

I really hope so, whatever way they vote.

Seriously hoping people don't buy them like they used to because they are awful and historically people follow their newspaper because they have been brainwashed by it. Young people more likely to be influenced by social media than newspaper

Ah, I understand. So if it's newspapers trying to influence your vote it's "brainwashing" but if it's spamming simplistic, manipulative pro-Labour posts all over MN it's "influencing" Got you.

nb I am not accusing any posts on this thread of being manipulative or simplistic. I am talking about the rash of "Don't vote Tory or you are a nasty psychopath" threads and posts all over MN the last few days.

I don't think there will be a huge upsurge in younger voters (which was what some commentators felt would indicate a better result for Labour).

I'm 43 and have voted in every election. I don't support one party. But the seats I am in have always been so resolutely one party with no chance of a change, I have wondered why I bother. But I would never not vote. Because of what people did to get that vote. I object to people not voting; they should go and spoil their ballot if they think they are all rubbish. 30% of the vote being spoilt as opposed to 30% just staying home would send quite a strong signal.

The ONLY way people will ever turn out in huge numbers is if there is proportional representation because then people will feel their vote REALLY counts and REALLY helps make up the seats in Parliament. But won't happen.

I hope so. I really hope the young come out and vote for their future.

My DD’s (aged 19 and 24) will both be voting. DD2 was able to vote in the Scottish referendum at age 16 and was really pissed off at having to wait to age 18 to vote in anything else. DD2 says all her friends will be voting today - they are all uni students if that makes a difference.

I think it depends on the weather.

My 18 yr old and all his friends are fired up for voting today - they are all very keen to have their say and needed no prompting to register.

I read somewhere that over a million new voters registered in the last year. As someone up thread said I hope it is the realisation, post brexit , that votes do count, even in safe seats a swing to another party is a message.

I just voted, and our polling station had free food! That is reason enough to go and vote!

I hope that lots of young people do turn out to vote, I know my daughter is very very keen and has been talking about the election lots. I think that lots of young people were annoyed about the brexit vote (all the old people ruining things for them )

My nineteen year old son, who is generally incredibly disorganised about everything, has registered to vote without any prompting from me.
That's very encouraging. The more young people vote, the more seriously they'll have to be taken by politicians. I want to live in a country that's driven forward by its young people, not dragged backwards to a past that never was.

I'm really hoping so. I think the impressive offer on Uni tuition could definitely make a difference, and of course many young people concerned about so many other issues too. The idea of bringing back fox hunting could hit the Tories more than they're expecting.
Think something interesting could also happen in Scotland with the 50+ seats there, where some could go back to Labour from SNP eg. In Glasgow.

Personally I was very encouraged by the Labour campaign and by the policies they put forward in their manifesto. I love Jeremy Corbyn and think he's put everything into this campaign. Hoping the rallies around the country in last few days will also help to bring out the youth vote with thousands watching the concerts/rallies online.

Hoping the country will vote for change so we can wake up with a new government and policies to take us forward in so many positive ways on Friday.

A lot of DD's friends are voting labour purely because of university fees. A lot of my friends (50ish) are talking of not voting for the first time ever as they don't want Corbyn in charge but also don't like TM - they feel leaders of both main parties are very weak.

Oh I hope so. Anyone in Angus need a lift?

I honestly wouldn't care who young people voted for - if they turned out to vote in higher numbers than usual, I would be genuinely thrilled.

It seems an inspirational leader is the one thing that can spur them (Obama, Sanders).

I don't think they will. I'm young and will be going out to vote today as will DP but I know that 70% of my friends and siblings won't.

Even if the young do turn out, will it make a difference? People seem to assume that all the young are going to vote for Corbyn. That's clearly nonsense - many will vote for the Tories or Libdems or other parties, so the actual impact will be minimal in all but the most marginal seats. Of course, it's good that they vote, but I really don't think their votes will make much of a difference.

I've heard/read more than once that many of the newly registered young voters are already in safe Labour constituencies, so anyone hoping they're going to swing it for Labour may well be disappointed.

Whatever else, I think Tim Farron is going to be toast tomorrow. Nice bloke and obviously principled, but he just doesn't have what it takes. I don't care for JC but he's obviously an inspiring speaker.

YABU - I suspect many of them will devote so much time to virtue signalling on social media that they won't actually manage to get out and vote at all....

Even if the young do turn out, will it make a difference?

Well, if we saw a change in voting behaviour such that younger people voted in equivalent numbers to older ones, policies that target younger people's concerns would become much more common and more prominent in manifestos. It wouldn't be an instant change, but it would be real and significant. Even a rise in opposition in some seats due to increased youth turnout would shift the game.

I'm watching Nick Clegg's seat with interest. He was on a wafer thin majority (with labour very close behind) so with even a small swing away from the Lib Dems, Nick Clegg should be out. However, there's a university in his seat which nearly doubles the number of voters, so if they have all gone for the Summer, maybe he'll cling on?