Young Voters Set to Play Influential Role in Deciding 2022 Poll Outcome
Statistics just released indicate that young voters are set to play an influential role in deciding next year’s General Election outcome.
The Fijian Elections Office’s latest chart on registered voters gives a breakdown of the age, gender and geographical division.
For the purpose of this analysis the young voters are in the 18 to 40 year old age group. They represent the largest group with 318,952 registered.
The group comprises 14,976
(21-30) and 153,104 (31-40).
The next largest grouping is those from 41-year-old to 60 who total 222,210. This figure consists of 118,661 (41-50) and 103,549 (51-60).
The smallest group is represented by our senior citizens and residents. The seniors number 108,919, comprising 67,466 (61-70), 31,373 (71-80) and 10,080 (81 plus).
As political party officials met with Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem and his team for their first election briefing in Suva (18-20), 150,872 yesterday, there were no doubt thinking about these statistics.
The briefing, in a way, officially blows the whistle that the race or countdown to the election has started.
The early start is good because it gives parties time to get organised and plan their campaign and fundraising. No party can complain that it did not have enough time.
It also encourages groups wanting to register new parties to get their act together and get registered.
The statistics before us will change as eligible voters who did not register for the 2018 election now register and those who turn 18 register. Expect a definite rise in numbers for the 18-30 year old category. They will want to have a say in the decision making at the highest level particularly on issues that directly impact them.
A classic example was the decision of a group of students who took their plight to the Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum after a reticent Tertiary Scholarship and Loans
Board stuck with its decision to raise the GPA for students from 3.0 to 3.5 after protests from students. They knew that only the A-G would help them and he did.
Now they are waiting for the outcome and it’s likely to go their way. Because clearly the TSLB failed to honour its contractual obligations with the students by making a unilateral decision. It was the political arm of the Government that made the difference.
These students, who are likely to be voting next year, are intelligent and they would have realised that in our democracy politics is a powerful force and determines the way a country runs. If they want to be heard, they need a political voice.
Target group
Smart political parties contesting the next election would be targeting this group (18-40) in their policies that will make up their election manifesto.
Education will be top of the list followed by jobs. These two issues go together because the next step of starting a family depends on them. They underpin this notion of peace, wellbeing, stability and security.
In the broader context of national development, transparency, accountability and good governance will be championed by this young group because that’s what modern education teaches them. Technology will also be a big item as they now live in a digital age.
Already, they are facing a clash of cultures, the old and the new . Their choice is to decide what will suit them best to face the modern challenges.
Politicians above age group
Many of our politicians today are above their age group. Some of them are still clinging on to the old style of politics that has little or no relevance to what is required to move Fiji forward. They are difficult to change because they grew up in an era with a different political environment. But many things have changed.
It’s the reason why we should expect more political agitation from our young people because they are facing perhaps one of the most difficult times in our nation’s history due to the adverse impact of COVID-19.
They are going to make monumental decisions on their education, their career path and starting their families.
All these decisions will determine their future destiny. Where will they be in five years, 10 years, 15 years or even 20 years down the line will depend on these decisions. These are legitimate questions which their older folks had dealt with when they were at their age.
That’s why our young voters will vote come the election to fight for their interests.
It would be forward-looking if some parties are able to open their door to members of this young group to join their election team for 2022. Don’t be surprised if some of them come knocking on their door.