Across established democracies, declining voter turnout is a long-term trend with each generation of young people less likely to vote than the last. Voter turnout among people aged 18 to 25 continues to be lower than other age groups and they are less likely to join political parties.[i]
However, while young people appear to be disconnecting from the electoral process, they are not disinterested in politics, and they engage in various ways: socially, digitally, via youth associations, at rallies and through grass-roots movements connected to important issues, such as the environment. Democracies and governments seeking to re-connect youth with electoral politics can explore inclusive strategies and electoral processes that will attract youth and other voters, making it easier for them to engage and participate.
Strategies and activities to make voting processes inclusive of youth can be informed by the needs expressed by youth themselves and built upon consultative processes.
[i] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA), World Youth Report 2016: Youth Civic Engagement, (UN, 2016), https://doi.org/10.18356/a4137e60-en.