Lindsay Mitchell
lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com

Ten days ago I wrote a post entitled “The Young Don’t Vote”
Here are the latest enrollment stats:

The BFD Source:https://lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-generational-voting-divide.html

And here are the actual voting percentages in 2017:

The BFD Source: https://lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-generational-voting-divide.html

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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Lindsay Mitchell has been researching and commenting about welfare since 2001. Many of her articles have been published in mainstream media and she has appeared on radio, television and before select committees...