We’ve all seen it: young people just aren’t showing up to vote. But why? And more importantly, how can we fix it? I’m not just going to give you one or two solutions – I’ve got five.

Let’s start with the facts. Studies show that young people vote way less than older generations. It’s a global problem. In the 2024 European elections, only 36% of eligible voters under 25 turned up. That’s a 6% drop from 2019. So, what’s going on?

Are young people just not interested in politics? If that’s true, it’s a serious problem. Democracy is supposed to represent everyone, but if young people aren’t voting, how can they be represented? And if this trend continues, it’ll only get worse. When today’s young people become parents, their kids will probably be even less likely to vote. Eventually, turnout could drop so low that democracy becomes a joke.

Politicians don’t really care. In fact, some people believe they prefer young people not to vote. Why? Because politicians only chase votes. Older generations vote in big numbers, so that’s who they cater to. Young people? Ignored. That’s why we’re stuck with skyrocketing tuition fees, disappearing benefits, and ridiculous housing prices.

But here’s what politicians should be worried about: young people actually have a massive amount of power. If they realized it and used it, every government and president would be shaking.

I know this because I’ve been involved in politics. I’ve talked to young people. And trust me, they do care. They’re passionate about social issues, they volunteer in huge numbers, they campaign online. They’re just disillusioned with traditional politics. They don’t believe politicians understand them – or even want to. And honestly? They’re probably right.

Nevertheless, voting remains the primary way that people can make their voices heard, so this has to be tackled right now. Here’s how!

1. Make voting online

It’s 2025. Why are we still making people stand in line to tick a box on paper behind a curtain? Young people are digital natives – we need to take voting to them. Some argue online voting could lead to fraud, but come on, you already shop, bank, and do everything else online. Secure online voting? Totally doable.

2. Make voting mandatory

No, this isn’t undemocratic. Not voting is undemocratic. We’re not talking about huge fines – just enough to encourage participation. We already have mandatory things like taxes and ID cards, so why not voting?

3. Add a “none of the above” option

Right now, if you don’t like any party, your only option is to not vote. But that just gets ignored. If “none of the above” was an actual choice, politicians would be forced to take notice. Imagine if “none of the above” got a ton of votes – politicians would be scrambling to actually earn your support.

4. Use voting advice apps

A big reason young people don’t vote? They don’t know enough about political parties or can’t tell them apart, because, let’s be honest, they all say vague stuff like “building a better future for all”. Voting advice apps fix this. You answer a few questions, and boom – it tells you which party matches your views. Plus, it forces politicians to be clear about their positions instead of just throwing around meaningless words.

5. Youth quota on parties’ lists

It’s clearly nonsense to suggest that you can only be represented by people exactly like you, but it does help if you see some people in power who are a bit like you. Right now, young people look at politics and see a bunch of out-of-touch older folks. If parties were required by law to have a certain number of young people on their lists, more young people would vote, and more young politicians can emerge.

If there are politicians reading this article and saying “I care about young people and I would like them to vote”, then go ahead: start implement the ideas above!