Last month saw the launch of the Institute for Citizenship’s nationwide campaign Get the Vote Out! It aims to address the issue of declining voter participation in elections. June 2004 will see crucial elections to the European parliament, to the London assembly, for the Mayor of London and a number of local elections all across the UK. It is now that we need to start the uphill struggle of persuading people of the importance of voting in these elections and campaigning to ensure turnout goes up, not down.
However, in order for us to campaign for an increase in voter turnout it is important to understand the reasons why people don’t vote. The Electoral Commission and MORI’s recently published report Public opinion and the 2004 elections may offer some answers. The research discovered a number of perceptions held amongst the electorate.
Most people, especially young people, do not like being told that voting is their duty. Amongst older people, the concept of voting as a duty still resonates. However, selling elections as a civic duty is not the most effective way to get people to the ballot box, particularly if you want to target those under 50.
Participants were also not impressed with the concept that voting ‘makes your voice heard’. They expressed distrust of politicians and disillusionment with the political process. It seems that the idea of making their voice heard simply reminds them of the lack of influence they feel their vote actually has.
There is also a feeling amongst younger participants that direct action is a more effective way of making their voice heard than voting.
The idea that voting means you ‘have an influence’ over issues was the most popular. People felt enthusiastic that their vote could influence specific issues such as transport, pollution, poverty, congestion charging, or their council tax, for example. Thus highlighting issues and how they relate to political institutions appears to be the most promising way of encouraging voting.
We need to make voters understand that the European parliament, London assembly, London mayor and local authorities make far-reaching decisions that affect their everyday lives. We only have to look at the recent decision by the European parliament to eradicate sulphur in petrol and diesel by 2009 (which will save hundreds of lives every year), or, in London, the mayor’s decision to introduce the congestion charge, or the decision by local authorities up and down the UK to increase council tax, to see that these institutions have the power to change things.
However, we need to communicate this more effectively to voters. To get the vote out we have to provide the electorate with information about how these institutions work and how they affect the things people care about. It’s not just a case of telling people to vote: we have to ensure people who vote make informed decisions about what they’re voting for.
Politicians also need to change. Voters feel at least some connection with their constituency MP. But voters feel much more distant from their MEPs and, in London, from assembly members.
There is a general perception taking hold that all politicians, from all the main parties, are a distant elite. Politicians have to do more than ever before to connect with the electorate and re-engage them with the political process.
The media also needs to play its part. Certain sections of the press need to ask whether it’s really in the public interest to trivialise and grossly distort the work of institutions such as the European parliament – the UK’s MEPs make much more important decisions than food labelling or the size of a banana. The media have an obligation to report the work of the European parliament in a responsible and honest way.
It is a national scandal that only 24 percent of those eligible voted in the last European elections in the UK. It is essential that people understand and appreciate that their democratic right to vote can make a difference. In next year’s elections we all have to work hard and make sure we get the vote out.