Nearly two thirds of young people want to be able to vote online in the general election, while a similar amount feels the current system is failing, new research shows.
More than half (57%) of adults think people should be able to vote regularly online on key political issues and legislation, with the number rising to 72% among 18 to 24 year olds.
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The YouGov poll revealed only 23% of adults think politicians are effective at using online digital media to engage with the public, despite 88% of respondents agreeing social media has transformed the way people communicate.
Richard Jones, founder of EngageSciences, the tech firm which commissioned the poll, warned democracy is under threat if politicians don’t respond quickly to the public’s growing frustration with Westminster.
"The results clearly show the current political process is dead. Whilst digital disruption is having a transformative effect on most industries and sectors, UK politics remains stuck in a system developed for the age of the horse, not the internet. John Bercow’s recent comments that online voting for general elections should be in place by 2020 isn’t enough.
"The political process needs to be updated now – not in five years’ time. We need to revolutionise political communications in this country and use digital media to build a system of direct democracy. Only then will we properly address the growing disconnect between politicians and ordinary people."