Young people vote Lib Dem in Y Vote Mock Elections (Swindon Liberal Democrats)

Swindon Liberal Democrats <info@swindonlibdems.org>

Young people vote Lib Dem in Y Vote Mock Elections

May 21, 2006 10:39 AM

Y Vote Mock Elections

The Liberal Democrats have won the 2006 Y Vote Mock Local Elections, gaining 30% of the votes of the young people who took part. The Labour party and The Green Party were tied in second place with a quarter of the votes each. The Tories came last.

The results, published by the Hansard Society as part of their Y Vote Mock Elections project, supported by The Electoral Commission and the Department for Education and Skills, show a clear difference between the political attitudes of voters in the mock elections and their adult counterparts. The young voters revealed their support for the UK's third largest party, with the Liberal Democrats gaining nearly a third of school pupil's votes. Labour also found favour with the young people taking part, gaining 25% of the vote, as did The Green Party. The Conservative's recent local election gains did not translate into a win in the mock elections, with them achieving 15% of the young people's votes.

Lib Dem - 30%

Green Party - 25%

Labour - 25%

Conservative - 15%

Other - 5%

Approximately 100,000 pupils at more than 200 schools registered for the Y Vote Mock Elections which took place across the UK. The Mock Elections aim to boost young people's interest in politics by providing a unique opportunity to get involved in the excitement of a school election.

Majority of young people would vote Lib Dem

Students across the UK were involved in a range of election activities from standing as candidates, writing speeches and manifestos, and reporting for their school newspapers, to designing posters and building ballot boxes. As campaigns have drawn to a close in recent weeks, students have had a taste of voting in a live election.

Michael Raftery, Mock Elections Project Manager at the Hansard Society, said: "It's encouraging that over 100,000 young people registered for the Y Vote Mock Elections and engaged with the important issues that dominate local elections. Active involvement in elections helps young people to develop the confidence and understanding necessary for them to play a full part in both local and national political life."

Beccy Earnshaw, Outreach Manager at The Electoral Commission, said: "Young people have strong opinions and are hungry to have their say, but our research shows that they may be acquiring a habit of non-voting, raising the long-term possibility of a 'generation No-X' of non-voters. The Y Vote Mock Elections are an opportunity for young people to understand how politics works, how they can get involved and why it matters, which we hope will help them develop the voting habit in the future."

Swindon councillor Dave Wood (Lib Dem, Eastcott Ward) said he was pleased with the result and hoped it would translate into votes for the Lib Dems in the future.

"We Lib Dems support this excellent initiative as it encourages young people to get involved in the political process.

"I am obviously pleased that the Liberal Democrats performed so well in the polls and that Liberal Democrat policies appeal to the next generation of voters.

"I hope that the political participation that Y-Vote develops in young people continues as they get older".