A group of people about the same size as the whole population of Rutherglen could be missing out on casting a vote in the federal election this year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And it would be their fault for not enrolling.
The Australian Electorate Commission has estimated one in four young people aged 18 to 24 have not registered to vote, and the number was as high as one in two 18-year-olds.
The latest AEC elector count from March 2016 showed Indi had 9214 people aged 18 to 24 registered to vote, meaning there were likely thousands more unregistered who could fill a small town.
Voices for Indi member Tammy Atkins said young voters could be a “decisive force” when determining the election result, as only 439 votes separated the candidates in 2013.
“Young people should enrol and then vote because they can and because their vote will make a difference,” she said.
“If you’re not into politics, voting might seem like a hassle, just another Saturday errand.
“It’s so easy to forget voting is a tremendous gift, a right that many people all over the world don’t have.”
To register to vote, visit www.aec.gov.au/enrol before 8pm Monday, May 23.
