05 Jul 2004
This is an archived news release and links may no longer work.
Results of mock elections in 400 English and Welsh schools and colleges today reveal a clear disparity between school pupils voting habits and those of their adult counterparts.
Approximately 100,000* pupils voted in mock local, European and London Mayoral elections on 10 June held in schools across England. The outcomes of the 2004 Y Vote mock elections, launched by the Hansard Society, The Electoral Commission and the Department for Education and Skills in April reveal that for young voters, its single issue parties that matter most with The Green Party picking up a large slice of the student vote. Voters of the future also made their views on foreign policy felt with The Respect Party gaining a hefty share of support.
| Political party | Y vote mock election results | June 2004 official election results |
| Labour | 19 | 19 |
| Conservative | 15 | 27 |
| Liberal Democrats | 15 | 12 |
| Green Party | 12 | 2 |
| UKIP | 8 | 12 |
| Plaid Cymru | 2 | 1 |
| Respect | 3 | 0 |
| Socialist | 1 | 0 |
Table showing the number of seats gained in the Y Vote European Mock Elections compared to the actual European elections of 10 June 2004 in the UK
In London schools, students mirrored adult voters by re-electing Ken Livingstone as their Mayor. However, in at close second came The Green Partys Darren Johnson, highlighting environmental issues as the capital concern of young Londoners.
In local mock elections, it was The Green Party that cleaned up as students switched on to single issue parties. Yorkshire youngsters proved themselves most radical by electing the Monster Raving Looney Party to Leeds City Council.
Teachers running mock elections received a comprehensive Y Vote resource pack containing a step-by-step guide to running the elections, ballot papers, cue cards, activity ideas to encourage and promote involvement, and key National Curriculum links.
Students participating got into the campaigning spirit by canvassing support, running as candidates, creating manifestos, building ballot boxes, designing campaign posters and casting their votes on the day. The copycat elections gave pupils a first hand insight into how voting and the democratic process work.
Michael Raftery, Mock Elections Project Manager at the Hansard Society said: The results of the mock elections for schools reveal a much higher level of support for single issue political parties. Environmental issues are something that young people feel strongly about and this translates into a big vote for The Green Party.
Beccy Earnshaw, Outreach Manager at The Electoral Commission, said: The schools taking part in the Y Vote 2004 Mock Elections gave thousands of young people the opportunity to find out how elections work and get involved in a fun and practical way.
/ends
For further information contact:
Rachael Shaw or Julie Parmenter on 0207 419 7335 / 7327 or email rachael@bbpr.com / jparmenter@bbpr.com
Notes to editors:
1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body established by UK Parliament. It aims to ensure public confidence and participation in the democratic process within the United Kingdom through modernisation of the electoral process, promotion of public awareness of electoral matters and regulating political parties.
2. The Hansard Society is an independent, non-partisan educational charity which exists to promote effective parliamentary democracy. The Society celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2004.
* 100,000 being the approximate number of students participating in the Y Vote Mock Elections, where the average number is 250 per school in 400 English and Welsh schools.
