OVER half of the young people in Thurrock will not be voting in the general election, according to a poll carried out by the Gazette and South Essex College.

The survey found only 42 per cent of young people will definitely be voting on May 7.

Over 60 young people were quizzed on their voting intentions as they crossed the campus.

Forty eight per cent said they would not be voting, and ten per cent said they had not yet decided.

The figure reflects the average turnout for young people at a general election, and is in line with figures released last year by the British Future think tank.

A YouGov poll of more than 1,000 people in 2014, carried out with British Future, showed only 41 per cent of the estimated 3.3 million eligible first-time voters would be casting their ballot on May 7.

Luke Slater, 25, of Danbury Crescent, South Ockendon, studies NVQ Carpentry.

He said: “I’m going to vote, but I wouldn’t do it unless my girlfriend made me do it! No, I think we should vote because for years now the country has gone down the pan.”

Louise Cowell, 22, of Prince Avenue, Southend, is studying a BTec in Engineering.

She said: “I think lots of young people don’t really think it’s important to vote – they’re not really that interested in the economy and the country.

“People are mainly living for now, not what’s going to happen. But I’m going to vote and a lot of my friends are too.

“It’s important to vote with the way our country is now. My parents say they would not like to grow up now. They feel sorry for young people.”

Students at South Essex College were able to grill parliamentary candidates at a Question Time-style event back in December.

The Thurrock candidates have been keen to engage younger voters while on the campaign trail in recent months.