Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Hastings, and welcome to today's lesson.

I'm really looking forward to taking on our learning journey today as we look at the question, can vote engagement be improved through digital democracy? And this is taken from the unit, Can Digital Democracy Increase Political Participation? So I'm really looking forward to taking you through the learning cycles and learning lots together today.

Good luck.

So the outcome of today's lesson is that by the end of it, you will be able to assess if voter engagement could be improved through digital participation.

The keywords for today's lesson are voting, a formal way of making a choice or decision.

Voting in an election is a formal way of choosing someone to represent you.

And participate, this refers to the active involvement of citizens in the political process, such as voting in elections, engaging in debates, or joining political groups.

So can voter engagement be improved through digital participation? We've got two parts of the learning cycle for today's session.

The first learning cycle is why is voting important? And the second is, could digital democracy improve voter engagement? So let's get on with our first learning cycle, why is voting important? The right to vote was a hard fought process, people campaigned and protested for many years.

So back in the 1830s, hardly anybody could vote.

Only about 5% of the population could vote.

But in the UK, equal voting rights for men and women were finally achieved in 1928.

So it took nearly 100 years for equal voting rights for men and women, and for all men and women over the age of 21 being eligible to vote.

Your vote is your political voice.

It is an MP's job to represent you and the constituents in parliament.

So your geographical area, your constituency, that your MP represents you and your constituency.

And they do this by voting on new laws and policies, debating issues and questions, and raising constituents' concerns.

In the 2024 UK general election, 59.

7% of people voted.

This is a really low turnout, the lowest turnout since 2001.

When turnout is low, it can affect how well our democracy works.

So, given that about 40% of people who could have voted chose not to, that is really impactful.

What impact might a low turnout have? Have a conversation with your learning partner about that question.

So you might have discussed the following.

It can lead to underrepresented groups.

The results may not reflect the views of the entire population.

Those who voted might not represent all groups within society.

And there are certain groups who may be less likely to vote, for example, young people or lower income individuals.

And therefore, if they're less likely to vote, then their views aren't necessarily well represented.

Voter apathy.

A low turnout could signal that people are disengaged with politics, they're just not interested, possibly due to feeling that their vote doesn't matter or that the political system and the people that they can vote for don't really work for them.

Voting plays a key role in a democracy and affects everyone in society.

It helps shape how the country is run.

Elections decide who leads the government and what policies they follow, so it's really important.

It impacts everyday services.

Voting influences decisions about transport, education, healthcare, and more.

It protects democratic freedoms. Free and fair elections are essential to keeping a democracy healthy.

If we didn't have free and fair elections, then we wouldn't have a say in who could run the country and we wouldn't be able to vote them out if we didn't like what they were doing.

Every vote can make a difference.

In marginal constituencies, that means where the results are really close, just a few votes can change the outcome.

And in 2025, there was a recent by-election where it came down to six votes between the winner and the second place candidate.

It allows people to influence important issues.

So true or false, let's check our understanding, voting is important because it gives individuals a voice in shaping the policies, laws and leadership that affects their lives? Is that true or false? It is, of course, true.

Why? Because voting ensures that the government represents the people's interests, promotes democratic values, and holds elected officials accountable.

By voting, citizens contribute to the political direction of their country and help protect rights and freedoms for future generations.

So well done if you correctly identified that that statement was true.

And which of the following are true about voting? It is your political voice, it was a hard fought right, voting has no impact policy, it is illegal not to vote, it protects democratic freedoms, and it influences issues that matter to you.

So which of those statements are true about voting? Okay, it is true about voting that it is your political voice, it was a hard, fought for right, it protects your democratic freedoms, and it influences issues that matter to you.

So it is not true that voting has no impact on policy, and it is not true that it is illegal not to vote.

So let's get on with our first practise task for today's lesson and the first learning cycle.

So firstly, for each of the four statements below, A, explain what it means in your own words, and B, give an example of how it might affect people in everyday life.

So voting helps decide how the country is run, voting affects the public services people use, voting is an important part of protecting democracy, and every vote can make a difference.

Pause the video whilst you complete that task Well done for completing that task.

So I asked you to explain for each of the four statements below what it means in your own words, and secondly, to give an example of how it might affect people in everyday life.

For the statement voting helps decide how the country is run, you might have said this means that when people vote in elections, they choose who will be in charge of running the country.

The people elected will make decisions on things like laws and policies.

For example, if a government is elected that wants to change the school system, it could affect what pupils learn or how schools are funded.

For the statement voting effects the public services people use, you might have said the people elected decide how money is spent on things like the NHS, transport and education.

For example, a government might choose to invest more in buses or trains, which could help people get to school or work more easily.

For the statement voting is an important part of protecting democracy, you might have said this means that fair and regular elections are one way to make sure power is shared and no group controls everything.

For example, if people stop voting, it could lead to fewer voices being heard and that could make the government less fair.

And lastly for the statement every vote can make a difference, you might have said sometimes elections are very close, especially in marginal constituencies.

A small number of votes can change who wins.

For example, in some areas just a few extra people voting could mean a different MP is chosen to represent them.

Well done for completing that task.

And the second part of this first practise task I'd like you to do is to read Izzy's view on voting and write a response which explains to Izzy why it's important to vote.

Make sure to include examples in your answer.

So Izzy says, "Why should I bother voting in the future? It won't matter if I don't vote.

Politicians are less likely to focus on issues that affect underrepresented groups like young people, so I don't see much point in voting if MPs aren't going to listen to people like me." So pause the video whilst you complete the second part of this practise task.

Well done for completing that second task.

So I asked you to write a response which explains to Izzy why it is important to vote.

Your response to Izzy might have said, "Izzy, voting is important because it helps decide who runs the country and what decisions they make.

MPs are chosen by voters to represent their area in parliament.

They vote on laws, debate issues, and raise concerns in the public.

If young people don't vote, then their views might not be heard, and politicians could focus more on the groups who do vote.

In some places, even a few votes can change a result so every vote really does count.

Voting is one of the main ways people can take part in democracy and influence what happens in the future." So well done for completing that practise task.

Let's move on to the second learning cycle in today's lesson, could digital democracy improve voter engagement? So how can people engage in politics? It doesn't have to just be through voting.

So have a think about that question and discuss with your learning partner.

So you might have come up with the following answers.

They could vote in elections to help choose their leaders.

They could join a political party to help shape the ideas of that political party.

They could contact their MP by writing letters, writing emails, or maybe even commenting on social media and talk about issues that they care about.

They could participate in peaceful protests for change, sign or start petitions on local or national issues, share opinions in government surveys, run for office to directly influence decisions.

So in the future might decide you want to run for local government or even national government.

Share views and factually correct information through social media or campaigns.

One way of measuring voter engagement is through the number of people who turn out to vote.

So we just had a look at that in the first learning cycle for the 2024 election, but voter turnout has been decreasing.

In 1992, voter turnout was 77.

7%, so all those 77.

7% of eligible voters turned out to vote.

In 2001, voter turnout dropped to 59.

4%.

And in 2024, voter turnout was only 59.

7%, so voter turnout has been declining.

And as we've thought about, is that showing a disengagement with politics? Why do you think it has been decreasing? So there are several reasons why voters might feel disengaged from politics: low trust in politicians and political parties maybe as a result of scandals and not living up to expectations, lack of political knowledge or education.

People just don't really know who to vote for, what to vote for, what it all means.

Misinformation, and this in the age of social media misinformation, that means false and factually incorrect information, can be spread really easily and then people might believe that information, which isn't true.

Practical obstacles such as getting to a polling station.

Maybe they're too busy, they're working really hard, they don't have the time to get there, or maybe they physically can't make it to a polling station.

The digital divide where some lacks the skills or access to use technology, and that means that they aren't engaged in online petitions or participating in politics online.

And maybe just a limited interest in politics or feeling very disconnected from the political process to the politicians, they can't really relate to them or the political process.

So let's check our understanding.

Read the information about Sandra.

What challenges is she facing to be a fully engaged voter? "I struggle with mobility.

I'm unable to go and vote as easy as I would like to.

I have to rely on others to help me get there." So what is Sandra's challenge to being a fully engaged voter? So due to her mobility issues, Sandra finds it harder to vote.

For people with varying additional support needs, voting can be challenging for several reasons, such as accessing polling stations or obtaining information about voting options.

So well done if you correctly identified that Sandra's challenge is her mobility issues, which makes it harder for her to vote.

Now let's have a look at Billy.

Read the information about Billy.

What challenges are they facing to be a fully engaged voter? "I didn't have political education at school.

I don't understand what each of the political parties stands for." So Billy did not receive an adequate political education at school, so they feel as if they lack the knowledge and confidence to know who to vote for.

So how could digital democracy improve voter engagement? Digital democracy could give us easier access to information: voters can get political news and learn about issues online using apps and websites.

Online registration and voting: registering to vote and voting online could make it easier and more convenient for people to vote in elections.

Engagement on social media: politicians can connect directly with voters on social media platforms like X, Instagram and Facebook.

People can ask questions, comment and feel more involved with those in power.

Online polls and surveys: the government can ask people for their opinions on issues through online polls.

Better political education: online resources such as videos and interactive websites can help voters understand how politics works and make more informed decisions.

So there are things like even like quizzes that you can do where you answer questions and it comes out and tells you which political party your views and opinions most align with.

Making politics more accessible: digital tools can help everyone regardless of location, age, or ability to participate in politics.

This could be especially beneficial for people with additional support needs or those living in more remote areas.

So let's check our understanding.

Which of the following is a benefit of digital democracy? A, politicians can only speak to voters in person, B, online registration could make voting easier, C, digital tools only help young people vote, D, social media makes it harder to ask politicians questions.

The correct answer is B, online registration could make voting easier.

Well done if you correctly identified that that was a benefit of digital democracy.

So let's go onto our practise task.

How could digital democracy improve the engagement of Sandra and Billy? So remember Sandra, she said, "I struggle with mobility.

I'm unable to go and vote as easy as I would like to.

I have to rely on others to help me get there." So explain how digital democracy could improve the engagement of Sandra.

And Billy, "I didn't have a political education at school.

I don't understand what each of the political party stands for." So can you explain how digital democracy could help improve the engagement of Sandra and Billy? Pause the video whilst you complete that task.

Well done for completing that task.

So how could digital democracy improve the engagement of Sandra and Billy? For Sandra, you may have said, "Online voting would help Sandra to be a more engaged voter.

If she was able to vote from home using her digital device, she would not need people to take her to the polling station." And for Billy, you may have said, "Using online apps and websites would help Billy get political news and learn about local and national issues.

Online resources like videos or interactive websites would help Billy learn about how politics works." So well done for completing that task and identifying what could help Sandra and Billy engage in politics through digital democracy.

Well done for completing today's lesson, could digital democracy improve voter engagement? Let's summarise what we have learned in today's lesson.

Voting is a key part of democracy.

It lets citizens help choose leaders, influence decisions and make their voices heard.

Digital democracy tools like online voter registration, reminders and civic engagement platforms can make voting more accessible and convenient.

Social media and digital campaigns can raise awareness and motivate people, especially younger voters, to get involved.

However, these tools must be secure, inclusive and trustworthy to improve voter engagement without compromising democracy.

I hope you've enjoyed today's lesson, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.