People across Britain voted for a new Labour Government in this year’s general election, which ended the Conservatives 14 years of rule.
Voter turnout has declined in the last 14 years, in the 2010 general election 65.1% of the UK voted. In the most recent election, only 60% did.
Ryan, who voted in the Coatbridge and Bellshill constituency, told us his view on the choice to vote.
He said: “There wasn’t any doubt that I wouldn’t vote, I always knew that I would.”
When asked about his perspective on the importance of voting, he said: “If you want to shape the outcome, voting is perhaps a very routine part of democracy.
And they’re an important part of accountability in terms of the relationship between the government and the people.”
A similar trend in decreasing turnout can be found in Sheffield.
In the Sheffield Central constituency, voter turnout was at 61.4% in 2010, whereas in 2024 the turnout was at 52.96%.
Leah Massingham, 20, who voted in the North West Lancashire constituency, said: “I think it’s important for everyone to use their democratic right to vote. Not only because of the impact it has on our lives, freedoms and choices.
But also because there are millions of people in the world who don’t have that privilege and I think it’s important we recognise that too.”
Questions are raised as to why people have become less likely to vote. Is political apathy something we should be worried about?
Have the younger generation become less interested in politics?
Leah added: “There’s a lot of political apathy at the moment especially when it feels as though nothing is being done by those in charge.”
Before 1918, women were not allowed to vote. Due to active campaigning by the Suffragettes, they won the women’s right to vote.
Therefore, some would argue the importance of exercising this right, is vital.
Gareth Peyton, was amongst those who decided not to vote. He explained that despite this choice, he is involved and interested in politics.
He said: “If I had voted, I would have had to vote for a party that is opposed to something I am strongly in favour of. So in the end I didn’t want to do that. It didn’t seem to make sense.”
He explained that this was a hard decision however he was ‘unable to pick one’.
Gareth shared an alternative perspective on low voter turnouts.
He said: “Generally, low voter turnout is a good thing because it means people are not overly concerned about the result. Higher turnouts happen when there are lots of problems in society.
The system works to produce a Government that is broadly popular. The turnout doesn’t really matter. What matters is acceptance of the outcome. It is when people start challenging the results that democracy can break down.”
Featured image via Wikimedia Commons
