The British authorities is ready to offer 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds the vote, unlocking a brand new voter base for competing political events. Social media may very well be key to their success.
The federal government on Thursday mentioned that it plans to deliver ahead an elections invoice which is able to grant 16 and 17-year-olds the suitable to vote in all U.Okay. elections.
It marks the most important change to Britain’s citizens for the reason that voting age was decreased from 21 in 1969.
If accredited by parliament, it might be a serious overhaul of the nation’s democratic system. The proposal, which was included in final yr’s Labour manifesto, will deliver nationwide elections consistent with Scotland and Wales, the federal government mentioned.
The most recent modifications imply British political events now face the problem of participating youthful voters within the social media age.
Extra youngsters are shunning conventional media shops and getting their information from social media, in line with a 2024 report from Ofcom.
On-line sources proceed to be hottest among the many youthful age teams, with 88% of 16-24-year-olds utilizing on-line sources for such updates. Social media is the principle driver of this, with 82% of younger adults utilizing this platform, and solely half of 16-24 year-olds utilizing TV for information.
Within the 12-15-year-old class, 12% of teenagers cited TikTok as their foremost supply of stories.
“TikTok definitely is one in every of, if not the most well-liked digital content material platform for younger folks. While no platform’s success lasts endlessly, it’s exhausting to see any modifications to the broader development of increasingly more of the general public getting the information content material from these apps basically,” mentioned Steven Buckley, lecturer in digital media sociology at Metropolis College of London.
Buckley burdened that the content material politicians put up is paramount, nevertheless, and that determined try and be “down with the children” will not work.
“One of many core currencies in at this time’s society is authenticity. Making an attempt to win over 16 and 17 yr olds by merely posting a bunch of TikToks and saying that the chief of the opposition is “Skibiddi Ohio Rizz” will not be going to win them over. They are going to merely be labelled ‘cringe’ and be dismissed,” he informed CNBC.
“The notion that younger individuals are disinterested in politics or their communities is solely not true. They care deeply about inequality, the atmosphere and social justice. Politicians desirous to win over these new voters can accomplish that by truly addressing their materials considerations.”
Social media has change into pivotal to profitable elections. Former U.S. President Barack Obama’s use of Fb broke new floor in 2008, whereas present White Home chief Trump’s tweets helped rally his voter base throughout each his 2016 presidential marketing campaign and re-election in 2024.
Though political data has change into extra available throughout a number of platforms, it hasn’t essentially translated into greater turnout in polls. Turnout was 59.7% throughout the 2024 U.Okay. basic election, the bottom since 2001, in line with a parliamentary report.
The jury continues to be out on whether or not giving youthful folks the suitable to vote will make a sizeable impression. A ballot of 16 and 17-year-olds by political consultancy Merlin Technique confirmed that out of the five hundred surveyed, solely 18% mentioned they might positively vote if an election came about tomorrow
Scarlett Maguire, founding father of Merlin Technique, mentioned political events must develop much more expertise and media methods.
“Politicians have to do extra than simply give the vote to attraction and have interaction younger folks. For the time being, this age group will not be very engaged with politics or politicians, so politicians might want to do quite a bit to attraction to them,” she mentioned.
The Labour Get together is extensively seen to have essentially the most to realize from decreasing the voting age. Nonetheless, Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform UK get together may additionally get important backing from this age group, in line with Maguire. Farage has six occasions as many followers on TikTok than Labour does.
“Reform in all probability had the perfect digital media and social media marketing campaign methods the final election. Reform is doing effectively with this age group, notably male youngsters. Now we’ll see whether or not the opposite events, particularly the Conservatives who’re polling very low with this age group, can catch up,” Maguire added.
Among the many different plans set out by the federal government is to simply accept financial institution playing cards as voter ID at polling stations by the point of the subsequent basic election, which is at the moment slated for 2029.
