Turnout at British general elections dropped by 45 percentage points between 1964 and 2005 amongst the under 25s. It dropped by only 2 percentage points amongst the over 64s.
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Hmm, what’s the source for that?
And is that a percentage of absolute numbers, or as a percentage of the share of the population? There are quite a lot more over-64s in 2005 then in 1964.
a. British Election Studies
b. Figures are as I wrote, i.e. the turnout figure for people under 25 was 45 percentage points higher in 1964 than it was in 2005. If I was talking about shares of the population, I’d have said that instead 🙂
For those not aware of it, this is an interesting report pertinent to the subject: http://www.powerinquiry.org/report/index.php
Remind me when the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18?
Late 60s, I think.
Voting age reduced to 18 in 1970.
Nick Clegg is the only National Party Leader, whom recognises and embraces the `democratic deficit’, as reported to Government, by the Power Commission.
We need more young candidates, standing in Elections, like Kate Garrett (24), in the Wanstead By-Election (23/4).
Put bluntly:
Young people don’t vote and they get tuition fees, a lower minimum wage rate and politicians who don’t speak out about the demonisation of young people.
Pensioners do vote and they got a purely gratuitious extra £60 in January/February
The Bridgewater by-election in 1969 was the first Parliamentary election in which 18 year olds could vote.
If you were under 25 in 1964 you would have been born in 1939 or before, which spookily would have made you over 64 in 2005…
(I assume the 2% reduction in turnout is due to premature death).
Yeah I am all in favour of promoting voting turnout among the young, but this “statistics can prove anything” stuff doesn’t help!
Dan makes a good point. What are the figures by year/decade of birth?
If it’s the case that “young people don’t vote, older people do” that that’s a problem, but it’s even worse if people born more recently aren’t voting now and won’t start in the future either.
However, I think all the figures are skewed by the 2001 and 2005 elections being foregone conclusions – there was little sense that people could make a difference.
Although we know the reality is that the next GE will be decided by a few thousand floating voters in marginal constituencies; there’ll be a perception that our votes all matter more and I’d expect turnout to go up, especially among the young.
Dan: yup, it’s quite striking isn’t it?
Costigan: there is some evidence that for each generation turnout rises as they get older, but at each age band turnout is lower than for the previous generation. But as you say, it is 2001 and 2005 that really saw turnout fall, with only muted evidence of a long term trend before that. That’s what makes turnout at the next election likely to be very significant: has there been a big, permanent shift or will 01 and 05 turn out to have been a blip?
On the ground here, I have to say I’m fearing the worst for the youth vote. The internet generation is often banned from talking politics on forums or in their social groups, and very little is being done to solve this problem.
In short, it appears that a major stigma is arising surrounding politics.
The Bridgewater by-election was held on 12 March 1970.
The internet generation is often banned from talking politics on forums or in their social groups
That’s an interesting point actually as it relates to something else I’ve been noticing. That is a habit of places to ban anything that is even vaguely related to politics. I will cite two examples:
1. Churches and community halls that don’t allow political parties to use them for meetings (even private ones).
2. Public buildings and shops that won’t display posters advertising their local MPs surgeries or stock leaflets showing how to get in touch with them.
I don’t know whether it is a new thing or not, but my sense is that it is growing. The excuses vary from them not being allowed to look partisan, to them feeling that if they let a mainstream party hire a room then they will also have to let the BNP do it, to them just seeing politics as bad and that they should disassociate themselves from these dishonest trouble-makers.
“The internet generation is often banned from talking politics on forums or in their social groups”
Seriously?? What’s the rationale given for that?
Mind you, sometimes a ban on something is the surest way to get people interested in it…
@Kevin – Yes, you’re quite right. But, the voting age was reduced in the 1969 Representation of the People Act.
“The internet generation is often banned from talking politics on forums or in their social groups.”
Isn’t there often a ban on politics in old people’s homes?
When they stick me in a home, I’ll probably want politics banned. Imagine being stuck there listening to all those Tories….
The internet is different. If people want to get away from Huw Dawson talking politics, one click and they’re free!
Can y’all say “cohort effects”, hm?
Also, Mark, seriously, explain the carpet thing.