How Can The Parties Tap Into This Rich Seam Of Voters?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39784404
I find it disturbing that there are approx 15million people who don't vote, why is that? Can't grasp the issues? not interested? TBH honest I'd prefer a non vote to one based on fatuous non knowledge but really how can we increase the amount of people who actually vote?

[Garaman]

Personally I am quite happy that people who profess not to understand politics, or who aren't interested, don't vote. I would be even happier if those who do vote and haven't a clue what they are voting for didn't.

[dave50]

Garaman - You are now straying into the "those who voted for brexit shouldn't have been allowed to vote because they are too stupid" mentality of some of the remainers.

[Garaman]

Dave50, that is not what I am saying. I wouldn't call anyone 'too stupid' because they don't take an interest in politics, but I would prefer people didn't vote if they don't know what they are voting for.

[ludwig]

I say leave 'em be. If they don't know, don't care or can't be arsed to form an opinion, they're probably better left out of the decision making process.

[Old_Geezer]

Compulsory voting is an abuse of right not to vote. Getting folk to spoil voting slips is just to massage the egos of those who want to be able to force others to do what they wish them to do, for the power kick it gives them. Folk who find no one worth voting for have twice as much reason to complain as those who voted some candidate in to make a mess of things. Not only is some twit in power making a hash of everything, the voter wasn't offered an alternative that was remotely acceptable or worth encouraging.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

It might be crazy logic but one of the reasons for voter apathy is the size of majority in a particular constituency put people off from voting for other parties. Eg someone living in North East Hampshire (Tory majority of 30,000 votes) who wanted to vote Labour might think, what's the point, Labour could never win here. And a person wanting to vote Tory living in Knowsley (Lab majority of 35,000) would find themselves in the same boat.

Just for reference sake, the UK electorate at the 2015 General Election wad almost 46.5 million, the largest ever, out of which 30.7 million votes were cast, making the total turnout figure 66.1%. This makes it higher than in 2010 (65.1%), 2005 (61.4%) and 2001 (59.4%). Having said that, its way behind the 71.4% in 1997 and the post-war high of 83.9% in 1950.

[mikey4444]

Hazi...the average turn out in the local elections the other day was only 30%....I think that is terrible, when you consider all the millions of people all the world that are denied a vote.