Log on for the e-election

Turnout in the 2001 general election hit a low of 59%. In addition, 60% of 18-24 year olds failed to vote in the same poll. Politicians of all parties are hoping to reverse such voter apathy in 2005. Researchers at the University of Teesside are also trying to involve teenagers in politics at a younger age, by creating an on-line election. Up to 150 teenagers from across the Tees Valley will be voting for local candidates in the ‘e-election’ on Friday 29 April, six days before the general election.

The Community Informatics Research Applications (CIRA) team at the University have produced a ‘virtual constituency’ on the internet. This enables a selection of local teenagers to interact with parliamentary candidates and political activists from the Tees Valley, Sedgefield and Richmond, North Yorkshire. The teenagers, aged 14-15, are from Norton, Acklam Grange and Stokesley Schools and youth groups in central and west Middlesbrough.

The teenagers choose different topics each day for the prospective parliamentarians to discuss, followed by a poll. Selected topics include crime, fox hunting, fair trade and healthy eating. This gives them the chance to see the candidates’ views on these diverse issues before their final ‘election’ vote.

Brian Loader, Director of CIRA, said: “The positive thing about the virtual constituency is it gives the teenagers the opportunity to set their own political agenda. The groups are more sophisticated than people give them credit for; they are interested in big issues that politicians don’t tend to deal with. The candidates have responded well to this initiative, and I’m sure they will be interested in the results of next Friday’s vote! We’ll be having a meeting with the elected MPs later.

“In the next General Election these teenagers will be able to vote for real and it’s important to show them that their opinion matters to politicians. The Internet, mobile phones and digital TV can be used as a means to bring young people and politicians closer together and improve our democratic politics.”

Pamela Beddow, Sociology teacher at Stokesley School added: “It’s important to try and involve young people in the democratic process. They get the opportunity to have the questions they want answered.”

CIRA will be offering prizes for the best questions. They also aim to develop this project in other secondary schools.

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