Background to the Research

• The Electoral Commission, a UK-wide independent body set up by the UK Parliament in 2000, aims to increase public confidence in the democratic process and to encourage people to take part.
• A set of questions on voting and elections was commissioned by the Electoral Commission for inclusion in the 2004 YLT Survey. The results of these questions are summarised in this report.
  

Research Approach

• All 16 year olds living in NI, born in February 1988, and receiving Child Benefit, were invited to take part in the survey. A total of 1,983 questionnaires and letters with background information were sent out to the young people's home addresses. A reminder postcard was sent out approximately 1 week later to those who had not yet responded.
• The survey could be completed by post, online or by telephone.
  

Main Findings

• 824 16 year olds responded to the survey (41.6% of those contacted).
• In response to the question 'How much interest do you generally have in what is going on in politics?' only 16% said they had a 'great deal' or 'quite a lot' of interest. 37.6% said they had no interest at all. Males had a slightly greater interest than females. Those who did not identify themselves as either Catholic or Protestant were least interested in politics. Respondents living in rural areas were significantly less likely than those living in urban areas to say they had no interest at all in politics. Grammar school students were slightly more likely to say they had a 'great deal' or quite a lot' of interest, while secondary school students were least likely to be interested.
• When asked what 3 current social and political issues they were most interested in, 45% said they were not interested in such issues, 21.4% said they did not know, and only 30.5% of respondents listed any issues.
• In response to the question 'How much do you feel you know about politics?', 56% of young people felt they had little or no knowledge, 3% felt they knew a great deal, and 13% felt they knew a lot. Males regarded themselves as slightly more knowledgeable than females. Respondents who were neither Catholic nor Protestant were more likely to say they 'knew nothing at all' or 'not a lot'. Grammar school students were more likely than secondary or integrated school students to say they knew a 'great deal' or 'quite a lot'.
• In terms of attitudes to elections and voting, 45.4% felt that people should only vote if they care who wins, 35.4% felt it was everyone's duty to vote, and 11.7% felt it wasn't really worth voting. More males than females felt it was not worth voting, and more females than males felt it was everyone's duty to vote. More respondents who lived in the country felt it was everyone's duty to vote, than those who said they lived in 'a big city'.
• Protestants were slightly more likely than Catholics to feel it was everyone's duty to vote. Those who were neither religion were more likely to say it wasn't worth voting.
• Grammar school students were less than half as likely as those in secondary and planned integrated schools to say it wasn't really worth voting.
• In terms of knowledge about elections, 95.9% knew that only people aged 18 or over can vote. Very few differences were found in terms of school type or socio-religious belonging. Females were slightly more likely to answer the questions on elections correctly.
• 81% of respondents had participated in at least one political activity in the past 12 months, with the least political activities of charity fundraising and sponsored events being most popular. Campaigning, demonstrating, pickets, marches and boycotts were significantly less popular activities. More females than males took part in a sponsored event, helped with fundraising, or signed a petition. Those who were neither Protestant nor Catholic were significantly more likely not to have taken part in any of the activities. Secondary school students were twice as likely not to have taken part in any political activity.

Please see the full Report on the ARK Website