Why do so many people in Hull choose not to vote?

10 hours ago

Tim IredalePolitical editor, Yorkshire & Lincolnshire

News image — Hull's Marfleet ward regularly records some of the country's lowest turnout figures

BBC A man is carrying shopping bags down a residential street as a woman on a bike goes past. A creme-coloured telephone box is in the foreground. — Hull's Marfleet ward regularly records some of the country's lowest turnout figures

Elections are often difficult to predict.

There are many competing factors, both locally and nationally, that make second guessing where voters might put their cross on a ballot paper fraught with jeopardy.

But in parts of Hull there has been one consistent trend that has been repeated across numerous political contests in recent years - low turnout.

People who use their vote are vastly outnumbered by those who do not make the journey to the polling station.

In the 2024 general election, the Hull East constituency recorded the UK's third lowest turnout figure at 42.2%.

National turnout in the election that delivered a Labour landslide for Sir Keir Starmer stood at 59.7%.

Earlier that year in the local elections, turnout in Hull's Marfleet ward was just 11.6%.

So why do many people – particularly in the east of the city - not bother to use their vote?

A woman with long blonde hair is standing in front of a building with butterflies painted on the exterior walls. — Hairdresser Debbie Morrell believes voter apathy is an issue

Debbie Morrell runs a hair salon in Marfleet and is a development coordinator for Friends of Alderman Kneeshaw Park, a Hull-based community group.

"I just think there's a general apathy that people don't see change happening, they don't see there's much point to their vote," she said.

"Also people are exceptionally busy. Some are working multiple jobs, you've got a lot of single parents, so you've got layer upon layer of different issues leading to Marfleet being one of the lowest in the country."

A woman with purple dyed hair and a nose stud is sitting down in an office. She is wearing a dark hoodie. — Ilydia Alexander, a cleaner, says she does not trust politicians

Ilydia Alexander, 19, currently working as a cleaner, said she would not be voting in the local elections because of her mistrust of politicians.

"No matter what you vote for there will always be a negative impact because there's always going to be false promises," she said.

An elderly man, with short grey hair and rectangular glasses, is looking at the camera. He is wearing a black jumper. — Retiree Les Dodds believes voting is important

Les Dodds, 75, who is retired will be using his vote.

"It's important because if you don't vote, then you may end up losing your vote altogether," he said.

"If you don't use it, you lose it."

Sophie Mell, 34, a youth and community worker, does not intend to have her say in the city council elections.

"I don't know a lot about it," she said.

"I wouldn't say I'm not educated in it, but I just don't know enough to make a good decision, so I just leave it to the rest of them."

A woman with a nose ring and short hair under a baseball cap is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a dark top. — Youth worker Sophie Mell says she does not know enough about politics to make a choice

The views of some people in this part of Hull appear to sum up the challenge facing politicians: how to convince many more to use their vote at a time when trust in our elected representatives is low among large swathes of the population.

Local elections will take place across Hull on 7 May, with the exception of the Ings and Kingswood wards.

A full list of candidates can be found here.

Listen to highlights fromHull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, and watch the latest episode of Look North.

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