Voter participation

• Explain two ways in which political parties could encourage disenchanted electors to vote.

  1)They could increase efforts to provide information about candidates and how to vote. This could include personal meetings between voters and candidates

  2)They could make voting more accessible. For E.g-polling stations could be situated in supermarkets or at workplaces.
• Why some people don’t vote or participate in politics:

  • Practical obstacles (e.g. lack of time, disability, transport issues)
  • Lack of interest or belief that it’s irrelevant to them
  • Feel their vote won’t make a difference
  • Don’t understand the issues
  • Think all parties/candidates are the same and self-interested
• Improving Voter Engagement:

  1. Make voting compulsory with fines for non-voters
  2. Increase face-to-face meetings between candidates and voters
  3. Improve citizenship education for young people
  4. Reform voting system (e.g. move away from first-past-the-post)
  5. Allow weekend voting
  6. Place polling stations in convenient places (e.g. work, stores)
• Digital Democracy:

  • E-voting makes it easier to vote from home/mobiles
  • Needs strong security to prevent fraud/hacking
  • Can increase engagement
• Social Media and Political Participation:

  • Parties use platforms like Facebook/Twitter to engage voters
  • Can target messages to specific groups
  • Likes/shares spread political messages
  • Helps parties respond to public issues
  • Turnout rose in younger voters possibly due to social media
  • Risks include ‘fake news’ and controversies (e.g. 2014 MP scandal)