Young People Disenfranchisement: A Study on Youth Participation in Electoral Matters in Australia

This article discusses the problem of young people disenfranchisement in Australia and explores the reasons behind their lack of interest in political affairs. It also suggests solutions to encourage youth participation in electoral matters.

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Young People Disenfranchisement
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Young People Disenfranchisement
Kathy Edwards iterates on participation of the youth in electoral matters in Australia as more
of a disenfranchisement problem rather than disengagement. The numbers point to a significant
population of registered voters not actually participating in the casting of the votes. The system
in the country fines those who refuse to participate in a bid to push up the turnout but still the
number of youths remains low. The policy in place pushes for civic education with the
assumption being that the young population lacks knowledge on how important exercising the
right to vote is. Edwards argues that introducing these contexts from a school context is not bad,
but it is not enough. Her argument points to the fact that teaching more on the democratic space
in the nation does not necessarily translate to the youth responding more positively towards it.
Moreover, not all the young people in the country are actually civically unaware and hence not
able to comprehend the full capacity of what democracy means.
The cracks for the presumed remedy already showing are visible. While assuming that
the youths there are more disengaged than disfranchised, other ways prove this is not the case.
Other issues facing their society including racism are met with more enthusiasm compared to
formal societal obligations. Thus the need to explore reasons that push the youth from their
rightful political space. Firstly, we have the belief that the youths do not believe in the effect of a
single vote in an election. This doubt stems from the fact that things remain unchanged no matter
who is voted into office since it is these individuals with the real ability to effect change. The
foundation from the aforementioned mentality is the reference to the president sending troops to
Iraq for ‘the war’. Most people interviewed point to this agenda mostly. Most Australians do not
like the very idea of sending their own troops yet the president did it anyway, a decision which
does not consolidate the voice of the people. Then, as far as representation goes, the youth lack a

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voice in government to put across their concerns and issues. This means that they do not feel like
their concerns are taken seriously hence the lack of interest in political affairs.
Other barriers that serve as an impetus for the young populace is the registration as new
voters. Regulations require a permanent address, and for the youth, finding an address is hectic
considering how bad the housing crisis in the nation is. Moreover, most of the youth plan to
finish school and move to the urban centers with plans of finding employment. This hiccup ends
up limiting the number of people registered during the limited time offered for registering
eligible voters. Anyone switching their residence must update their details or find himself or
herself excluded from the voters’ roll. With the homelessness crisis at an all-time high in
Australia, this creates a difficult situation for the youth moving out of their parents’ homes into
the real world. The real solution begins by accepting that the youth face disenfranchisement. By
actually coming down to their level and trying to relate to their problems goes a long way in
encouraging them about the political scope of Australia and actually participating. The
government is responsible for legislation and enacting policies that are familiar to the context
that does not marginalize the youths.