Voting
Young people often complain that the big political parties do not represent their interests. But political parties focus on making voters happy. If young people don鈥檛 vote, they won鈥檛 get the attention of politicians.
Persuading others to vote
Many people do not get involved in politics. They don鈥檛 feel that politicians represent their interests. That鈥檚 exactly why it鈥檚 important that they vote.
Politicians may often make laws and policies focused on helping the people they think will vote. They tend to ignore the people who don鈥檛. You can make society fairer by encouraging people to get to the polls.
Joining a political party
If you feel strongly about an issue, you can join a political party that represents your views. Membership in the youth wing of most major parties is open to people from 14 years of age.
Registering voters
Some people live in remote areas, or don鈥檛 make the effort to register their names with the Electoral Authority. If they haven鈥檛 registered, they can鈥檛 vote. You can make society more inclusive by helping these people get their names on the electoral roll.
The benefits of participating in a democracy as a young person
Taking part in democracy has a range of benefits for young people.
Playing your part can help ensure that you live in a stable and safe society with a sound economy.
You can shape the type of society we live in by voting for the party that best represents your views.
When young people take an interest in politics and make the time to vote, the healthier our democracy. There are specific issues that can鈥檛 be left only to older people to decide, such as:
- university fees;
- employment;
- leisure facilities;
- education.