Why Your Vote Matters
July 1, 2016 By vgen
Our generation has copped a fair bit of criticism, ranging from being too entitled,
to being selfish and lazy. Of course, this far from the truth – students are facing
tougher challenges and working harder than previous generations. There’s good
reason for us to say that it’s tough being a millennial.
Now, ahead of the 2016 Federal Election, we’re criticised for being politically
disengaged. Being a part of VGen, I was quick at first to defend us millennials –
we’re extremely vocal about the issues we care about.
However, statistics have backed up the fact that we’ve been drastically
underrepresented in the voting space. Shockingly, nearly half of all 18-year- olds
were not enrolled to vote when the Federal Election was announced earlier this
year.
There are many explanations for this, but some of the reasons for young people
not voting or not voting properly are that:
we lack confidence in our understanding of politics,
we feel powerless about the democratic process,
we feel that no party truly represents our values.
After a number of awareness campaigns encouraging young Aussies to enrol,
there are now 1.66 million voters under 25 enrolled to vote in the Federal
Election – a record number!
Here’s the thing: regardless of how much you feel you know or don’t know, your
voice matters. Your vote matters. While we all don’t have degrees in politics, we
can definitely educate ourselves on the decision we get to make in the polling
booth. Watch and listen to what your politicians have to say and know where
they stand on issues that matter to you. Speak to your friends and your
workmates. Do some research – listen to the opinions of thought leaders; browse
the websites of the political parties or check their Facebook and Twitter
accounts. It’s easier than ever before to see what our pollies are up to.
So, if you haven’t made up your mind on what party to vote for (like 60% of us),
start with Google. Check out some of the great tools like Vote Compass that help
you figure out what party best represents your views. Don’t just limit your
knowledge to the political ads you’ve seen on TV and online. And if you see those
local MPs handing out flyers on the street, don’t just take a flyer and walk off –
throw questions their way!
On the other hand, if you feel powerless about the democratic process, you
should know this: millennials make up almost 20% of eligible voters. If we were
all apathetic, Australia would lose one fifth of its voice.
What if no political party addresses your concerns? Make it known to them.
Write to your local MP, start a petition, or simply send them a Tweet. Politicians
are supposed to represent our values; let them know what you support and the
changes you want to see.
So get out there on July 2 and make your voice heard. The people we elect help to
shape the country and world we inherit. Your vote matters.
References:
http://theconversation.com/many-young- people-arent- enrolled-to- vote-but-
are-we- asking-them- the-wrong- question-59248
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06- 19/election-2016- young-victorians-
speak-up- about-issues/7523656
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/young-voters- should-form- their-own- party-
20160613-gpi5ox.html