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The federal election is just weeks away but 15 per cent of people aged 18-24 years old are not enrolled to vote.
Key points:
- There are fewer young adults enrolled to vote at this poll than the 2019 federal election
- Research shows young people are politically aware but lack confidence when it comes to voting
- The electoral role closes on Monday, April 18, at 8pm
Young people are also less likely to turn out to vote, according to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
"People really do need to take action," AEC spokesperson Evan Ekin-Smyth said.
"If you're sitting there and you're not sure if you're enrolled, go to the website: www.aec.gov.au."
At 85 per cent, the number of young adults registered to cast a ballot is substantially less than 96 per cent of all eligible Australians enrolled.
The current number is also less than what it was at the last federal election, in 2019, when young-voter enrolment sat at 89 per cent.
Circumstances often work against young people when it comes to getting on the electoral roll and casting a vote, according to the AEC.
"Often young Australians are getting their first job, moving out of home, going to a different state or territory for university," Mr Ekin-Smyth said.
"There's a range of circumstances which means they move houses, move residences."
In a bid to tackle those challenges, the AEC is ramping up its efforts to reach young Australians.
"Our advertising will be in just about every channel you can think of," he said.
"A lot of those [are] youth-oriented as well — in-app advertising, YouTube and the like."
Lacking confidence casting a vote
Young people are passionate and educated about political issues but lack confidence when it comes to casting a vote, according to Zareh Ghazarian from Monash University.
The political scientist has spent more than a decade researching the Australian electoral system and in recent years has focused his studies on young people.
"Young people are passionate, very much concerned about political and social issues that are going on around them and around the world," Dr Ghazarian said.
"But many young people are also expressing that they're not confident in terms of voting and how they can participate in democratic processes."
Dr Ghazarian said his research, in particular a 2020 study, showed a lack of confidence in the electoral process, rather than a disinterest in politics, reduced participation.
The lack of civic education past the age of 16— two years before a teenager was eligible to cast a ballot — was partly to blame, often leaving young people to navigate it themselves, the senior lecturer argued.
"Some [young voters] ask their parents, some invest a lot of time to do research as to what the candidates and parties are promoting, and some put in votes that are random."
Dr Ghazarian and the AEC would both like to see more targeted education in the final years of school to improve voter literacy and, in turn, participation in elections.
The electoral roll closes at 8pm on Monday, April 18.
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