Australian youth not enrolling to vote
In a nation where voting is compulsory, it seems that not all of the entire eligible population has turned out for the event. Miran Hosny investigates why the younger generations are not turning up to rock the vote.
Australian youths are noticeably absent from registering to vote. Image: David Jackmanson
Long queues begin on the narrow pathways and wind around bushes, fences and miniature benches of the school grounds. A forgotten packet of chips rustles across the empty playground as the line slowly shuffles forward.
The people ranged along the cement footpath are awkward in their miniature surroundings, like giants visiting dwarf town. The city, in this case, is a primary school, the people voters.
Throughout every election in schools and halls across the country, Australians over the age of 18 inhabit similar scenes, as they await their opportunity to have a say in the country’s politics. In a nation where voting is compulsory, it seems that the entire eligible population has turned out for the event.
However, it hasn’t.
A significant fraction of that eligible populace is visibly missing in action. To them, Election Day is like any other.
Mandatory it may be, a considerable number of young Australians are not enrolled with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Whether deliberately or by default, these youths have chosen not to have a say in the governing of their nation.
Phil Diak, national spokesperson for the AEC says, “It is fairly well known that the younger you are the less likely you are to be enrolled. One in two 18-year-olds are not enrolled to vote, and many 17-year-olds are not aware that they too can enrol.”
The figure is a common one throughout the states and territories of Australia, with 50 per cent of youth in NSW also not enrolled.
“Currently half of the 400,000 eligible people who are not enrolled to vote in NSW are 18 to 25-year -olds and the trend is that this figure is increasing with each election,” says Richard Carroll, NSW Electoral Commission spokesperson.
But Shadow Minister for Youth and Sports, Steven Ciobo, believes that it is not lack of interest that fuels this apparent apathy. He says it is merely a matter of bad timing.
“I think that for many young people, enrolling to vote is not typically high on their list of things to do, unless it’s an election year,” he says.
“Enrolment tends to be at the same time as most people are leaving high school, and at that time many of them are making decisions about careers, relationships, what car they want to buy or whether they will move out of home.”
A national study funded by the Australian Research Council revealed similar conclusions.
“Voting is not seen as part of transition to adulthood by students,” the 2009 Youth Electoral Study (YES) stated. “Attending ‘schoolies’, obtaining a drivers license and leaving school are all far more important rites of passage.”
Ciobo makes the point that young citizens have a vested interest in the election process.
“I think young Australians are excited about the opportunity to vote. In a way it is a chance for them to express themselves about the future of the country. For many, it is their first opportunity to do that and they relish it.”
The Shadow Minister’s positivity stems from his opinion that the younger generation has more invested in the future of Australia than older voters.
Student activist David Barrow similarly points to the necessity that young Australians make their views known.
The former President of the National Union of Students is himself a young voter, and his involvement with student politics has lent him a greater insight into the attitudes of his peer group.
“Young people feel invincible; the last thing we’re thinking about is our long term interest. As you get older, you have other things you want to safeguard.”
But understanding their reasons doesn’t make 23-year-old Barrow’s opinion of his non-voting cohort any higher.
“Even people who put a line through the paper have more courage than people who do not bother voting,” he says.
“If you don’t get off your arse and vote, you’ve only got yourself to blame if Tony Abbot gets elected. It is relevant; it’s your life, get into it.”
Australian National University expert Aaron Martin thinks that young people just don’t see voting as very useful to them.
The Political Science and International Relations lecturer explains that while older voters can see the importance of elections, young Australians have less motivation to vote.
“If you think about our parents’ and grandparents’ generations, they could see a clear connection between voting and life, for example in relation to war. [For] young people, there definitely is a link but it is a little more difficult to see,” he explains.
22-year-old Andrew has not registered to vote.
“Unless the Government makes policies that inconvenience us such as the proposed internet filter I’d say most don’t really care who’s in power, or value their vote.”
Luke, 20, also unregistered, was not old enough to vote in the previous Federal election. With plans to travel abroad he doubts that he will be doing so this time round.
“I’d rather not have to worry about going out of my way to vote for someone I don’t relate to.”
Aaron Martin feels that politicians should put more effort into encouraging youth to join the democratic process, and points to Barack Obama’s successful US election campaign.
“Obama did not accept conventional ideas that you can’t mobilise young people, and that’s part of the reason why he won.”
“That’s an important lesson for Australian politicians who think it’s a waste of time to try and mobilise young people, or that they’re just not interested.”
For Martin, the best way to reach a people is to use their specific tools of communication, and that is what the AEC should do, he says.
“Making it easier to register by providing an online system where it could be done automatically could be effective.”
The New South Wales Electoral Commission (NSWEC) plan to do this for their new smart electoral system to be launched at the next State election in March 2011.
“We understand that young people use SMS and email as a matter of course, so we plan to implement such modern communication methods to contact young voters,” says commission spokesperson Richard Carroll.
if you are enrolled to vote and don not you get fined.
I think the problem is a lot of our modern pollies are so un-likable and out of touch that young people would rather not be counted until someone impresses them.
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if you are enrolled to vote and don not you get fined.
I think the problem is a lot of our modern pollies are so un-likable and out of touch that young people would rather not be counted until someone impresses them.
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The problem with politicians is that they are generally too old, and therefore hold views that the younger generations do not share. Certainly there are exceptions, like our new Federal MP Wyatt Roy; but the majority of Australian politicians in the Houses of Parliament are much older than 18 or 19 years of age. As a result, it is obvious that they are going to have views that are less progressive than the majority of the younger generation. Gay marriage is a classic example, where evidence suggest that the likelihood of supporting gay marriage is inversely proportional to age; where while 80% of 18-24 year olds support it, only 46% of those over 50 are inclined to see it legislated. Most of the parliamentarians, indeed the most important ones (i.e. the Cabinet Ministers) fit closer to the latter age group.
What young people fail to realise is that only ‘they’ have the power to vote in a party with the same ideals and values as their own. If that means voting for a minor party, so be it.
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They keep threatening me with fines to force me to enrol. I’m not giving into threats, so I guess I’m going to jail?
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I dont vote,, it doesnt matter what anyone says. The government is just a two pillar organization which is too extreme on the right to vote for Abbott or his ideals & liberal goons, even if you like one liberal you would’nt want to vote for them because of Abbott as their leader (he makes me sick as did howard), & Dont get me started on Gillard, jesus she has to be vile peice of work to what she did to rudd, also she never won the election against abbott she just sucked off and played with the 3 independants to get where she is, btw fuck wayne swan the slimey cunt!! If I was to vote it would have been for Rudd but the labour MP’s diminish that chance only lookin out for their own interests & not the peoples choice, Australia should have voted either rudd or gillard, thats when I would have enrolled, but nup fuck the politics of the MP’s (Granted that their are some gud politicions out there for the people but.they’re a minority & are not doin anything if they’re under a two party system) ill enrol myself when I start to see that my vote is worth considering, until then, fuck you with that compulsory voting shit,, Compulsory is just another name to take away our freedom of choice!!!
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steve Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 9:07 pm
Vote for the small parties like the LDP , ASP , HEMP ,ON , CDP or an independent – register your descent by putting Labor/Liberal Last.
If you don’t like big government running your life instead of complaining send them a message by voting for the LDP who will cut them down to size- lower your tax and increase your individual freedom.
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Macks Reply:
July 9th, 2012 at 7:23 am
I strongly agree with everything you’ve mentioned on your post – Rudd could have been the closest to decency when it comes to Politics, but overall, I’m still not fond of voting. As much as they tell the public that “our votes” matter, it really doesn’t. Let’s face it – at the end of the day, the government will do as they pleased (regardless of our votes). They’re extremely autocratic.
Can I please ask you a question? I hope that you would know the answer…
I have previously registered – well to be precise, my mother registered my details without my consent since I turned 18 (I’m now 27 years old). I have relocated a couple of times and did not inform them of my new address (although they managed to have found me and up to this date, continue to remind me to re-enrol at the nearest office). I don’t reply. I don’t re-enrol. Is there some kind of penalty or something? They haven’t notified me of any penalities I’ve incurred, but it scares me.
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What is the penalty for not enrolling?
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a.mind.of.my.own Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 9:00 pm
you don’t play their game.. they can’t touch you.. – as far as I know.. nearly 20, & I’d rather not waste fragments of my life, trynna figure out which side of the coin best suits the corporate special interests.. (incase u didn’t know, the ‘crown’ is a corporation.. makes ya think aye?)
pez – “…labour or liberal, who gives a fuck its still the same individual..”
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Anon Reply:
October 12th, 2012 at 2:21 am
I looked up enrolling to vote penalty and the electoral commission says that you can be fined 1 unit for not enrolling.
1 unit = $110. Same as not voting. Still I do not ever plan on voting until I see someone who genuinely wants to make life better for everyone in this country not just the elite.
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My brother is 53, he has never voted in his life & never will. It would cost them too much to chase everyone who doesn’t vote, so don’t worry about them.
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I just looked into it again cause someone asked if the politicians could just be removed all together and some people put in who will actually do what they are supposed to and run this country instead of carrying on like children in parliament.
I did see once on a youtube video that you can cross out the names to vote that you do not want that person on the ballot again according to the constitution.
I looked up enrolling to vote penalty and the electoral commision says that you can be fined 1 unit for not enrolling. 1 unit = $110. Same as not voting. I too get letters asking me to enrol because I never have, and I’m 30 now,[smile]. Still, I do not ever plan on voting until I see someone who genuinely wants to make life better for everyone in this country not just the elite.
I don’t vote because I will not choose from people who do not have Australia’s interests at heart and who lie to us all. Basically every politician I’ve seen, that would be right now [smile]. Has nothing to do with them not having progressive views as William suggested. They are all corrupt and lie to Australians about many things. Some being major incidents like 9/11 which they lied about. I have yet to see any politician who wants to make this country better rather then just help the elite [sic]and keep the average Australian down. They are all just greedy and power hungry, and should all be removed in my opinion. We are in for more hard times ahead the way they are running things and carrying on like they do instead of doing the job they are paid for.
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Oh and whats with this part who ever wrote this article?…..
“Mandatory it may be, a considerable number of young Australians are not enrolled with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Whether deliberately or by default, these youths have chosen not to have a say in the governing of their nation.”
No one has a say in how this country is governed right now no matter who they vote for. The politicians just lie to get in then do exactly the opposite. The voters don’t decide what taxes to add or take away. The voters don’t decide anything to do with the outcome of how this country is governed. You think people like to be homeless and unemployed? [No, they don't]. There should be no unemployment and everyone should have affordable housing. I was told I’d be put on a five-year waiting list by the state housing department. 5 YEARS. That’s pathetic. Now I’m also doing “work eperience”, work for the dole. I don’t need more experience and I don’t need to work for nothing to show that I want a job. If the government is going to force people to do that crap, then just make more government businesses that pay a decent wage for the work. Those could be businesses that supply the essentials for all Australians like food, water and shelter. Oh but then it would be like communism, wouldn’t it, if the government put people into jobs like that. Well so they’ve said and they’ve done a good job making everyone think it would be a bad thing. [Unhappy with] the government, they have done nothing to make this country better as long as I can remember.
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Hey Guys =)
Thanks for your views on voting, I recieved my first Enrol to Vote notification after 22 years of not enrolling or voting, by choice. Which I think is my right in a political system I have long ago lost confidence in.
I felt bullied and intimidated that someone could try and force me to vote. I have no interest in politics, as they have no interest in me.
After reading that they are not going to cart me away in a paddy wagon for not enrolling/voting, I have decided to continue my silent protest at the bunch of name calling, slack arsed, over paid, self serving people that continue to be attracted to politics and the perks it will provide them.
Thank you =)
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