As local elections approach, students from various universities express their perspectives on voting and the issues that matter most to them. Students are more concerned than ever with the price of transit. They are exhausted, discouraged and greater than ever struggling with what it means for them to engage with local politics.
Sasha King-Smith, a 21-year-old politics graduate, emphasized the significance of voting for students. She has always been engaged at the local level and voted for the first time on her 18th birthday in 2021. King-Smith stated, “Even just trying to breathe. Existing, studying, everything costs money, with the recent fee increases we’re going to see students unhappy about that.” She pointed out that affordability concerns, especially around the cost of transportation, are increasingly top of mind for students.
Naomi Carter is a 24-year-old former welfare and campaigns officer at her university. Now, she’s just looking forward to casting her vote in this Fall’s local elections. Carter, who graduated with a degree in sustainable development, focused on two key challenges. This gap in knowledge goes hand-in-hand with their disillusionment about the process—49% of students agree that elections don’t matter. “I always said I could vote in every election I could,” she asserted.
Non-voters came too Daniel Eggleton, 20, a second-year mathematics student, told us he’s voted in the general election before. He highlighted the need for ethical representation in politics, stating, “I think having people with a good sound set of ethics is very important to me.” Eggleton expressed his desire for candidates who are committed to their promises: “I want someone who is going to say what they’re going to do and keep up with what they’re going to do.”
Raphael Roy Taylor, 20, appreciated the nuances of local representation. He noted that students from their public university are represented in two distinct city council districts. He remarked, “We’ve got two different council areas. We’re both representing Warwickshire but we’re a university that’s based in Coventry.” This unnecessary divide makes participating in the democracy difficult for a majority of these students.
First-year International Business student Amro Maraqa expressed his concerns over increasing transport costs. He feels that these added costs prevent students from participating fully in their education and community members. “Bus fares went up by 90p this year, from £2 to £2.90,” Maraqa noted. Andrew described how these hikes affect his day-to-day life and decisions about voting.
Nathaniel Gate, 21, a student in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, is still unsure how he’ll vote. He confessed that he doesn’t yet know if he’ll run in the upcoming elections. He has no idea who he’d back. “Alongside all of my university responsibilities, I think it falls more or less to the bottom of my priorities,” he explained.
Despite varying levels of enthusiasm and commitment towards voting, there is a shared recognition among students that their voices matter in shaping local governance. Many have been doubtful about whether their vote matters. One unidentified student shared their feelings of futility: “I don’t believe my vote will have an impact.”
As the elections approached this past spring, students such as King-Smith and Carter have been encouraging their classmates to be more informed and involved. They hope to inspire others to recognize the importance of their participation in local elections and the opportunity to influence decisions that directly affect their lives.
