Young Kiwis dither over who will get their party vote

Three-quarters of young Kiwis plan to cast a vote in this year’s election, but more than half haven’t decided which party it will go to.

That’s according to a Research Association New Zealand poll which spoke in April to 669 Kiwis aged 18 to 25, drawn from an online panel and representing the population based on gender, ethnicity and geography.

But it remains to be seen whether their good intentions will come to pass. In 2014 only 63 per cent of enrolled 18- to 24-year-olds actually made it to the polling booth, according to the Electoral Commission.

Commission figures from the end of April show barely 66 per cent of the same age group are enrolled to vote this September, despite enrolment being compulsory.

Research Association chief executive Robert Bree said with five months to go it was important young people be encouraged to exercise their voting rights. The association carried out the survey to find out what young voters were thinking in the “post-Trump, post-Brexit era”.

Only 41 per cent of intending young voters knew who they would vote for. And less than half were confident at least one party represented their interests.

Bree said it was concerning that many young voters had not decided to vote or who to vote for.

More young women (78 per cent) intended to vote than young men (72 per cent), while Wellingtonians were most likely to vote and Aucklanders least likely.

Almost all respondents — 94 per cent — said the right to vote was important to New Zealand’s democracy.

Online voting, civics education, compulsory voting and better information were among suggestions to improve the election process.