Langworthy ward Labour Councillor John Warmisham talks of how education and upbringing has affected the number of young voters.
Despite the number of young registered voters being the highest its ever been in 25 years in the last election, Warmisham still feels frustrated at the lack of young, female voters in Salford.
During his time campaigning for the Labour party, Warmisham came across multiple young women who claim that they “don’t vote”.
He said: “I want to see more done in schools. Look at getting young people involved in democracy; hold mock elections, have mock debates.
“The democratic process is so important to us as a country. I think that the way the suffragettes fought to get that vote shows that if you believe in something, you fight for it.”
Marking 100 years since women won the right to vote, many people took to social media to celebrate the Suffragette movement.
However, statistics show that 2.5% fewer women than men said that they were registered to vote in the 2017 General Election, with 20% – 25% of women being undecided just weeks before the voting date.
Warmisham blames family upbringing for the lack of young voters. He said: “in the 50s and 60s, mums would pass on to their daughters that they must vote but theres been a change in education.
“Mums aren’t passing it on to daughters and fathers aren’t discussing politics with their daughters and it saddens me.”
He also talks of how lack of equality in politics and the media puts women off becoming actively interested in political matters.
Women around Salford were asked whether they vote and how they view equality in today’s society in contrast to the Suffragette movement.
It was revealed that the majority of women in Salford believe that it is important to vote, despite the low turnout at the last election.
The Year of the Women will continue this week with a committee meeting between the Manchester City Council and councillor Andrew Simcock to talk about the Emmeline Pankhurst Statue Campaign on 8 February.
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