Less than half as many young people have registered to vote for May elections

Applications to register to vote by young people are at less than half their level twelve months ago. Analysis from pressure group Unlock Democracy shows that for 2024 local elections nearly 160,000 applications were made by people under the age of 25. However, in 2025 that figure is only just above 50,000.

That means applications by young people have halved compared to 12 months ago.

However, researchers also found that whilst under 25s had the most marked drop in registering to vote in elections, all age groups also dropped in number.

Total daily applications have practically halved compared to in the regulated period last year (53%), with overall numbers for 2025 also down on each of the last two years.

This news comes on the last day on which people can register to vote. Some of the drop-off in registrations can be explained by elections being held in fewer areas this year. But, campaigners are concerned that the huge number of unregistered voters combined with widespread dissatisfaction at the state of politics, may see turnout levels fall even lower.

Elections are no longer a functioning democracy

Tom Brake, director of Unlock Democracy, said:

It should be uncontroversial that in a democracy, we want as many people as possible to vote – and to be able to vote.

Brake expressed concern that under 25s are a crucial voting bloc in elections:

Young people, many of them students and/or dealing with insecure housing, are likely to make up a disproportionate share of unregistered voters. So it’s concerning to see such a sharp decline in applications among young people.

In 2023, the Canary reported that everyone the Electoral Commission lists as being at risk of not having photo ID are all the more likely to be poor people. It’s not an accident that young people, queer people, disabled people, and people of colour are the ones at risk of voter suppression.

Brake also cited voter ID as an unnecessary barrier:

At a time when turnout is already worryingly low, and trending down, we should be making it easier for people to vote. Voter ID is one unnecessary barrier; the dysfunctional registration system is another.

Unlock Democracy says the government should introduce a system of automatic voter registration (AVR) that would allow electoral authorities to use existing data to verify and register voters automatically, saving both time and money, and ensuring the maximum number of eligible voters are able to cast their ballot.

Featured image via the Canary