Two in five young voters unaware of London mayoral election, poll warns

Two in five voters aged under 35 are unaware of the London mayoral election next month, according to a new poll.

Of voters aged 18-34, 39 per cent – or two in five – are under informed about the City Hall race taking place over the next month, according to the Centre for London and Savanta.

Almost a quarter of these voters – 24 per cent – said they didn’t know about the election, while 15 per cent told researchers there wasn’t due to be a mayoral election in London in 2024 at all.

Antonia Jennings, Centre for London CEO, said: “A functional democracy relies on the whole population’s engagement in politics. Yet, in London we are falling at the first hurdle – voting.” 

Chris Hopkins, political research director at polling firm Savanta, said the findings were “often a helpful reminder to those engaged in politics that they are in the minority”. 

He added: “Most people do not follow politics day-to-day, and our research shows a significant proportion of younger people in particular are either under-or-misinformed about this year’s mayoral election.”

It comes after the window for candidates to get onto the City Hall ballot closed yesterday, with Labour’s Sadiq Khan and Conservative rival Susan Hall expected to lead the field among voters.

Across Londoners of all ages, the independent think tank Centre for London and market research company Savanta found 83 per cent believed they could name the London mayor.

But, according to the findings of the What London Thinks survey, just under one in five – 19 per cent – said they could name their local assembly member.

While just under a third – 29 per cent – of those aged 34-54 and 12 per cent of over-55s did not think there was or were unsure if there would be a mayoral election in 2024.

The London Assembly is the cross-London council elected to scrutinise City Hall and its spending and hold the mayor to account.

It comes amid warnings over the potential impact of the new voter ID rules, with Londoners having to bring photo ID to the polling station – for the first time in a mayoral election.

The Electoral Commission warns a third of those aged 18-24 were unaware they require ID to vote – risking young voters being lost by being told they have to leave and return with ID.

Jennings added: “As the candidates ramp up their campaigns, they must do so honestly, engaging those left behind and building policy for all Londoners – not just their voting base.”

Savanta interviewed 1,510 UK adults aged over 18 online from March 8-12, and weighted the data by factors such as age, sex, London area, ethnicity and 2019 general election vote.