With the gap between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn closing by the day, we asked voters about their hopes and fears post Election Day and who they think might be victorious tomorrow. We wanted to know which policies struck a chord and what in the UK has been influencing their vote and helping shape their decision. We heard how:
- Citizens should exercise their democratic right – democracy is a privilege so use it!
- Younger voters talk about how voting Labour is the opportunity for change that just shouldn’t be missed, whilst others feel that the Conservatives are the only party that can end the turbulent times.
- Media coverage is perceived as biased and that more people are turning to social media for its immediacy.
- Although some are clear on how they’re voting, some feel that for the first time ever they are still unclear and it’s impossible to predict the election result.
Can we expect a large turnout at the polling station like we saw with Brexit? Amongst our respondents, there is a common sense of duty to vote – to respect those that fought for the female right to vote, and a view that if you don’t vote – then you have no right to complain afterwards.
Younger respondents spoke overwhelmingly about how democracy is a privilege and how it is ‘incredible that we have the right to choose our leadership’.
Common hopes and fears understandably centred around funding for the NHS, the terror threat given the sad recent events, but also managing Brexit in the right way with minimal impact on the economy. Respondents spoke about a better world for their families, whilst younger respondents talked about taking a ‘leap of faith’ ‘embracing this opportunity for change’ despite the current landscape, and reducing the gap between rich and poor to make the country a better place for everybody.
A wide combination of sources is cited for political information. Aside from the manifestos, TV and newspapers remain significant; however, voters remain sceptical about media bias. Twitter is seen as more immediate than the BBC, and the younger voters rely more on digital channels as a whole whilst being cautious of ‘fake news’. For some, conversation with peers and family helps to make sense of all the political content available and help them toward a view if still undecided. For others, historical voting and family voting habits influence which party they will support.
And who is likely to win? Everyone has their hope – whether it is a win for the ‘reds’ or the ‘blues’, but the majority are saying they just can’t call it. Feelings of changed minds, broken promises, and the view that some people are being influenced by policies that haven’t been thought through properly, means that whether it is a hope for new leadership or continuation of our current Government, we will all just have to wait and see what happens!
Given the ever-decreasing gap in the lead by the Conservatives and the turbulent times the UK is facing, we wanted to hear the voice of the people and find out voters thoughts and feelings in the lead up to polling day. Vox Pops International can help you gather insight around a topical issue or get you speedy feedback in the UK or internationally through our quick recruiting and fast professional editing. Vox pops videos, whether filmed by a crew or self-filmed on a mobile device, can then be crafted by our in-house research and production experts into a compelling story for use as an effective communication tool.
