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Lindsay Mitchell
lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com
Ten days ago I wrote a post entitled “The Young Don’t Vote”
Here are the latest enrollment stats:
And here are the actual voting percentages in 2017:
In raw numbers, there are an estimated 450,500 18-24 year-olds with 277,151 or 61.5% enrolled at June 9. The figure will increase but in 2017 the final enrollment number was 333,164 and 69.3% of them voted.
It is safe to say only between 4 and 5 out of all 18-24 year-olds vote.
For comparison, 96% of voters aged 55 or older enrol and they turnout in the mid to high 80% range.
Chris Trotter is worried about this. He writes:
If voters aged between 18 and 25 registered and voted in anything like the same numbers as the centre-left’s core vote, Labour would long ago have become New Zealand’s “natural party of government.
Pie in the sky. It is the young’s prerogative to not vote if that’s their inclination. I took no particular interest until I became a mother. People become increasingly involved as they age and are more invested, stable and life-experienced.
He is worried this divide opens the door for Collins. As my post suggested, I agree, but happily. And for those voting youth who are averse to National’s new leadership team but not left-inclined, ACT fills the void. Collins v Ardern contrasted neatly by Seymour v Peters.
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