Only 14% of young people in Wales aware of upcoming Senedd election

Emily Price

Only 14 per cent of young people in Wales are aware of the upcoming Senedd election, according to new research.

The report, published on Monday (March 9) by the Electoral Commission explored young people’s attitudes to voting across the UK.

It found that despite being eligible to vote in the upcoming Senedd election, 16-17 year olds in Wales record the lowest willingness to vote across all four UK nations.

The research was conducted by BMG Research on behalf of the Electoral Commission with 2,501 individuals aged 11 to 25 in the UK including 417 from Wales.

It found that just over half of young people in Wales reported a lack of confidence in voting, and a third said this was due to a lack of knowledge about how to vote.

Findings revealed strong interest from young people in learning more about democracy and taking part when they feel informed, with 72% saying they want more democratic education taught in school.

However, only 21% said they have learned about politics in school in Wales the last year – which is significantly lower than the UK average.

Parental interest and socio-economic background also influence levels of knowledge and interest amongst young people.

The upcoming May 7 Senedd election is widely considered the most significant in Welsh politics since the dawn of devolution in 1999.

It is marked by a total overhaul of the voting system and the expansion of Wales’ parliament from 60 Senedd Members to 96.

Polling indicates a seismic shift in who will govern Wales after May with Labour support plummeting.

Data released by More in Common last week showed Plaid Cymru and Reform UK are neck-and-neck for the most seats in the Senedd.

This could lead to the first non-Labour First Minister in the history of devolution.

But the new Electoral Commission report showed concern among young people about the information currently available to them.

41% say they see fake political information at least once a week, and 64% are concerned about its impact.

The research found that young people are more likely to hear about politics from social media than at school or college.

The Electoral Commission says its annual ‘Welcome to Your Vote Week’ aims to tackle these challenges.

During 9 – 16 March, schools, colleges and youth groups across Wales are running lessons, activities and events to help young people understand how they can participate in the Senedd election on 7 May.

Fatima Sheikh, aged 16, Member of the Electoral Commission’s Youth Voice Network for Wales, said: “Welcome to Your Vote Week is an amazing chance for young people’s voices to be heard and to become active in politics.

“It lets us learn new things and meet a mix of people with similar and different opinions, which can create a friendly space for conversation.

“The adults who make decisions on behalf of all of us have a huge impact on our everyday lives, so it’s really important that young people understand how democracy works and how to get involved.

“It helps bridge the gap between becoming eligible to vote and actually feeling ready to take part in elections.”

To support the initiative, the Electoral Commission has produced new educational resources in partnership with the Senedd, The Politics Project and the Children’s Commissioner for Wales to help improve young people’s understanding of the importance of voting and the Senedd.

Educators and young people who want to take part in ‘Welcome to Your Vote Week’ can access the free resources from the Electoral Commission website.