Analysis
Young voters are turning out. They are not turning up for parties
Turnout among under-30s hit a record high. Party membership among the same group hit a record low.
Data & investigations editor
7 min read
First-time voters at a polling station in September.
For decades, politicians worried that young people did not vote. That worry is out of date. In the last election, turnout among 18 to 29-year-olds was 71%, the highest ever recorded.
But ask the same voters whether they belong to a party, and fewer than 2% say yes.
Voting without belonging
Our analysis of survey data from twelve countries shows the same pattern: young voters are engaged, informed and increasingly willing to switch between parties from one election to the next.
“I vote on issues. The party is just the vehicle,” one 24-year-old voter told us.
Why it matters
Parties rely on members for campaigning, candidates and money. As membership ages, some are experimenting with issue-based subscriptions, local assemblies and open primaries. Few have found a model that works.
Topics
Mateo Ruiz
Data & investigations editor
Mateo leads Pressio’s data team and the investigations that come out of spreadsheets.
