As the WA election looms, why aren't young people enrolling to vote?

ABC NEWS (Australia)

More than 10 per cent of West Australians aged 18 to 30 aren't enrolled to vote, making up thousands of people across the state who are missing the opportunity to have a say.

Transcript

00:00It's early morning and 19-year-old Ebony Whitney is hitting the streets, pamphlets

00:07in hand.

00:08Are there any particular issues that you're concerned about?

00:11Sometimes politics can get a bit annoying, it is in your face, especially at the moment

00:15with election time.

00:16On the other side of the political fence, 20-year-old Kira Gannon is just as engaged.

00:21On the forefront of my mind was getting engaged with young people that share the same values

00:26as me and discussing those kind of issues that affect all of us.

00:31But not everyone in their generation shares their enthusiasm for politics.

00:35I'm just confused, yeah, just genuinely confused and probably need to pay a bit more attention.

00:41While others have tapped out because they don't feel the major parties are doing enough.

00:45I probably don't have their foot on the pedal.

00:46I suppose a lot of policy is reactive, so people wait for the problem to happen and

00:53then they try and kick it into action.

00:56Young people aged 18-30 are set to be the most underrepresented group of voters in WA's

01:00upcoming state election.

01:02More than 10% haven't enrolled to vote.

01:05In comparison, almost all voters aged 17 and above have enrolled.

01:09The challenge with people who aren't on the roll is finding them.

01:12They move around, they change address, change jobs, go interstate, might go overseas for

01:16a little bit.

01:17So that causes them to effectively sort of drop off the electoral roll.

01:23In WA, the fine for failing to vote is $50 or $75 for repeat offenders.

01:29Political differences aside, these young campaigners are united in their message about getting

01:33involved.

01:34Put yourself out of your comfort zone.

01:36If you want to see change, you know, join a political party that aligns with your beliefs.

01:41The fact that our age group is underrepresented when we do have, you know, so many issues

01:46that affect us, I just feel like it's an injustice.

01:49Enrolment to vote closes on Thursday.

01:53Join a political party that aligns with your beliefs.

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