Just 1.9% of young Blackpool voters turn out for Make Your Mark campaign

The number of Blackpool children who voted in a nationwide campaign to get more young people involved in politics dramatically fell this year, with numbers adding up to less than five per cent of 2019’s turnout.
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Just 237 of a population of 12,491 11 to 18-year-olds (one per cent) voted in this year’s Make Your Mark campaign, which asks young people across the country to vote for the political issues they would like to be addressed in Youth Parliament.

In comparison, 6,213 Blackpool young people voted in the 2019 ballot, marking a drop of more than 95 per cent.

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The town had one of the lowest turnouts in the North West, with only Bury (0.71 per cent), Cheshire West and Chester (0.72 per cent), Liverpool, and St Helens (both 0.01 per cent) falling behind.

Just 237 Blackpool young people voted in this year's campaignJust 237 Blackpool young people voted in this year's campaign
Just 237 Blackpool young people voted in this year's campaign

In Oldham, 41.97 per cent of 11 to 18-year-olds voted, sending the town to the top of the list. Trafford had a 34.79 per cent turnout, and Bolton had 27.91 per cent.

A total 434,492 young people in Britain voted in the 2022 ballot. The results, which were released this month, placed health and wellbeing as the top issue for Members of Youth Parliament to address in the upcoming year, with jobs, money, homes and opportunities, and education and learning being a close second and third.

Meanwhile, individual Youth Councils will address the issues which garnered the most votes locally. In Blackpool, the top issue was jobs, money, homes and opportunities, followed by the environment and education.

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Annoucing the results, former Brent MYP Chante Joseph said: "Following the efforts of hundreds of young volunteers, more than a thousand schools colleges and youth organisations, and of course members of Youth Parliament, this year we’ve seen an incredible number of young people take part in the Make Your Mark survey… which is absolutely incredible to be able to gauge the interest, to make sure their voices are heard, to make sure they’re part of the process.

"The top issue to come from the survey this year is the topic of health and wellbeing. Young people believe it is the biggest issue they’re facing in the UK at the moment. This includes things like access to mental health support, ending child poverty and banning conversation therapy.”

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