Young people and the unemployed are the least likely to vote, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office today.
The CSO's Quarterly National Household Survey on voter participation and abstention shows 40 per cent of young adults aged 18 and 19 voted in the General Election last May. Only 53 per cent of those in the 20-24 age bracket said they had exercised their democratic right.
Higher age brackets showed high voter participation with 90 per cent of those aged between 65 and 74 indicating they had voted in the election. Almost 85 per cent aged between 75 and 79, and 79 per cent of those over 80, voted.
The survey also reveals that 58.8 per cent of the unemployed voted compared with 75.8 per cent of those surveyed who were in employment. Only 51.9 per cent of students eligible to vote did so.
More than 37 per cent of respondents said they did not vote because they had no interest (20.4 per cent), they were disillusioned (10.6 per cent), felt their vote would make no difference (3.7 per cent) or because they had a lack of understanding or information (2.9 per cent).
The survey was carried out in the three months from June to August last. The Quarterly National Household Survey is the main indicator of employment trends in the State, but does also include modules on social topics from time to time.
