What are the barriers to, and drivers of, political participation by young people? What interventions would be effective in engaging young people (16+) to register and vote in elections when they are enfranchised to? 

Background

Engaging as many people as possible in the democratic process is a key MHCLG goal. The department is keen to understand the interventions that can help facilitate higher levels of engagement, especially from young people, including registering and voting.

Next steps

Get in touch with ari-contact@communities.gov.uk

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

25 02 2025 Updated MHCLG ARI

Related UKRI funded projects


  • First and Foremost - Understanding and optimising the electoral participation of first time voters

    First times are moments that many never forget. According to Bruter and Harrison (2017), 73% of British people, 82% of Americans, and 90% of South Africans remember their first vote. The existing literature has also conf...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project specifically focuses on understanding and optimizing the electoral participation of first-time voters, which directly addresses the question of engaging young people to register and vote in elections.

  • Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Politics of Adolescence and Democracy

    IP-PAD (Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Politics of Adolescence & Democracy) aims to address a timely, pressing societal issue, namely the understanding of how young adolescent citizens process political inform...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Why might this be relevant?

    While the project addresses the engagement of young adolescent citizens with politics, it does not specifically focus on interventions to engage young people to register and vote in elections.

  • Scottish Election Study 2016

    In May 2016 Scottish residents aged 16+ will vote in the fifth election to the Scottish Parliament. This takes place a year after the UK General Election in which the SNP won all but three Scottish seats, and 20 months a...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on exploring factors influencing vote intention and behavior in the Scottish Election Study 2016, which partially addresses the question of engaging young people to register and vote in elections.