The 2015 General Election could be the most important general election in a generation - and it’s certainly likely to be the most unpredictable.
Electoral law has changed, and millions of young people have disappeared from the electoral register. Since June last year, registration is individual, so each potential voter is responsible for making sure they are registered.
Pippa Bartolotti, Wales Green Party leader and Parliamentary Candidate for Newport West said: “Right now 96 per cent of older people are registered to vote but only 50 per cent of young voters are registered. The future belongs to our young people, and it is pretty underhand to suddenly make it harder for them to vote. What is worse is that this government has no campaign to let young people know what they should do. I really hope local media across Wales get behind a campaign to make sure everyone who has the right to vote, can vote.”
Traditionally the electoral register has been based on households. A form would be sent to each household asking how many people living there are British citizens of voting age. Students are no longer registered by their colleges, so are most likely to be missed off the register.
The number of students registered to vote in some cities in Britain has fallen by 60 per cent. Across the UK as many as 200 seats could change hands if young people are able to get out and vote. Every vote really will count his time.
Pippa Bartolotti added “It is no secret that the youth vote is mostly a Green vote. Greens are taking action, because young people hold the key to direction our society takes -backward-looking and mean, or positively moving towards diversity, compassion and social justice.”
The Wales Green Party is launching a campaign to let students know how to register. Greens groups will be leafleting students all over Wales in the next few weeks.
This election will be about not just who voters want to vote for but, perhaps for the first time, whether potential voters actually get to vote. Young people who move more frequently and often live in rented accommodation are more likely to be unregistered than other age groups.