After the top court removed some more hurdles that could causes election delays, the polls are set to take place on February 8. A surge of curiosity among new voters in the metropolitan is propelling their interest in the general election.

Turnout data from previous elections shows that an increased ratio of young voters can influence the electoral outcomes.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the number of registered voters has witnessed a remarkable increase of 21 million over the past four years. There were nearly 106 million registered voters in 2018; the number is around 127 million as of July 25,

The Punjab has 38.7 million male and 33.6 million female voters; Sindh 14.4 million male and 12.2 million female voters; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 11.8 million male and 9.9 million female voters; Balochistan 2.97 million male and 2.32 million female voters; and Islamabad, 547,000 male and 495,000 female voters registered for the upcoming elections.

A closer look at the age-wise breakdown of the data brings attention to the substantial representation of the youth. There are approximately 57.1 million individuals aged between 18 and 35, accounting for 45 percent of the eligible voting population. This marks a noteworthy increase from the 43.8 percent recorded in the 2018 elections.

A surge in youth participation could signify a growing engagement and interest in the democratic process among the younger demographic. It can be argued that the outcome of the approaching election is dependent on the participation of younger voters.

The improvement in female voter registration – the gender gap has for the first time shrunk to less than 10 million – is another positive indicator.

‘Looking forward to elections’

In the upcoming elections, the overall voter turnout will depend on the participation of young voters. Some of the first time voters are already expressing their enthusiasm for participation in the democratic process.

Abdullah Hashim, a resident of Saddar, Karachi, a 22-year-old, says he’s hoping that the New Year ushers in a government that takes concrete actions to resolve local issues. “In Saddar, we’re facing a lot of problems. There’s load shedding of both electricity and gas. The sewerage system is also in a state of disrepair,” he says.

“In a way, these elections are a golden opportunity to hold the political parties accountable for the promises they made to resolve these issues,” he says.

Hashim, another young voter, says the youth are acutely aware of urban problems such as traffic congestion, environmental degradation, poverty and unemployment. He says they will be voting on the basis of these issue. “We’re hoping that all these problems are solved after the elections,” he says. “I am trying to analyse every party’s agenda. I’ll prefer the parties that empower the youth and believe in their inclusion in mainstream politics,” he says.

Another first-timer voter, Wahaj Asim, a resident of North Nazimabad, is hoping that the new government will focus on improving the literacy rate. The 21-year-old also believes that the government needs to resolve the issues faced by the youth. “I’ll be voting according to the manifestos of the parties. Another consideration is how much space they offer to the youth,” he says. “The reputation a candidate enjoys in his constituency is also important.”

Wahaj expects major political parties in Karachi to take action to improve the infrastructure of the big-revenue city. He hopes that elected political committees will take appropriate measures to tackle the city’s problems in the New Year.

Ramsha Ahmed, a master’s degree student at the University of Karachi, says she’s looking forward to the elections. “This is the first time I will be voting in an election,” says 21-year-old Ramsha. “An issue close to my heart is what a party plans to do to create employment opportunities for the youth in the health sector,” she says.

Ramsha anticipates a new election dynamic, with new voters casting their ballots based on political parties’ agendas, especially concerning unemployment and urban problems.

As the polling day draws near, the enthusiasm of these new voters reflects a collective desire for a bright future. Their engagement highlights the pivotal role that young voters can play in steering the nation toward progress.

Voter turnout

Bilal Gilani, the executive director of Gallup Pakistan, says turnout will depend mainly on the new voters.

He says that the most significant issue seems to be logistics, particularly for the urban youth.

He says some of the first-time voters might face challenges such as not having a computerised national identity card.

“There is a need for proper guidance and for raising awareness among new voters regarding voter lists. They should check their names for errors,” Bilal says.

He suggests that the ECP and the political parties take appropriate action to address the issue of CNICs. “By doing so, they can improve the voter turnout in the upcoming election.”

He says that the only way to improve voter turnout in the long run is to educate the children in schools and colleges regarding the importance of democracy and voting.

The author is a freelance contributor who can be reached at arslanshahzad882@gmail.com