Students Without the Vote

Students in the South East of England unaware of EU referendum date and many risk not being able to vote – new poll

May 19th 2016

Over half of university students in the South East of England do not know when the EU referendum is taking place, according to a new poll published today.

The poll, conducted by YouthSight for Universities UK, reveals also that, while a high proportion of students from across the UK are interested in the outcome, many risk not being able to vote because they are not registered at the address where they will be on 23 June 2016, the date of the referendum.

Almost two million UK students are eligible to vote in the June referendum and huge efforts have been made by universities and colleges across the UK to increase student voter registration numbers. The date of the referendum, however – outside of term-time – means many students who registered to vote at the recent local elections (5 May), may need to re-register if they will be at a different address on 23 June.

Across the UK, the poll reveals that only half (56%) of students registered only at their term-time address are likely to be there on polling day. A quarter (25%) who said they are registered only at their university address, confirmed they won’t be there on 23 June.

This week, in a bid to help get students referendum ready, universities in the South East of England are supporting a major student registration drive led by Universities UK, the National Union of Students and the Association of Colleges. Students from across the South East of England will be encouraged to register, re-register or apply for a postal vote, depending on their circumstances.

The poll, also found that:

63% of students in the South East were not able to name the date of the referendum
53% of students in the South East did not know in which month the referendum is taking place
Over three quarters (78%) of students in the South East think the outcome of the referendum will have a significant impact on students’ futures
Only 55% of eligible students in the South East know where they will definitely be on the date of the referendum, while only 13% have applied for a postal or proxy vote

Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said: “While it is good that many students are interested in the outcome of the referendum, it is of real concern that so many are unaware of the referendum date and of the fact that they may have to re-register to vote at another address.

“This week, universities will be scaling up their efforts to encourage students to register to vote, and to make sure they do so in the right location. It is important that students think about where they are likely to be on 23 June 2016 and also to consider registering to vote by post or by proxy.

“With nearly two million UK students eligible to vote in the referendum, it is vital that they have all the necessary information to make sure they can take part in this hugely important decision.”

Richard Brooks, Deputy President of the National Union of Students, said: “The EU referendum is a once in a generation vote. The decision made on the 23 June will impact young people and students the most as they are the ones that will live with the consequences for the longest. If students don’t want their future decided for them - it is essential that as many as possible get out and vote.

“We are calling on all students to think ahead about where they will on 23 June and to register or re-register at that address. If they are unsure about where they will be, students can register at both their term-time and home address, providing they only vote once. If they are going to be on holiday or are heading to Glastonbury they should apply for a postal vote by 5pm 8 June.”

People have until 7 June 2016 to register if they want to vote in the EU referendum. Students and young people can find out more information about how to vote in the EU referendum at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk and can register to vote at: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote