There Might Be A Million Missing Votes At The Coming Federal Election

… that is, if the hundreds of thousands of eligible young voters neglect to enrol by May 23. (That's, like, right around the corner.)

A piece on last night’s 7:30 Report drove home the gargantuan number of unenrolled Australian voters, which might amount to almost one million lost votes at the coming federal election.

That number includes approximately 350,000 unenrolled young people, including half of all 18-year-olds and a quarter of all 19-year-olds.

Combined, that’s almost six per cent of all eligible voters who’ll be sitting out the July 2 election.

Considering the 2016 poll is expected to have a razor-thin margin, those non-voters wield more power than they perhaps realise.

Power

But as 7:30 Report found - through a roundtable of young, unenrolled Australians at a Liverpool youth centre - many don’t see how the election outcome will even affect them.

It raises the question: do young people need to be more engaged with politics, or do politicians need to be more engaged with young people?

As Katie Acheson of Youth Action noted in the program, “Newspoll said the last four elections were won and lost by the youth vote.”

“We have to ask a question is why aren't politicians trying to engage this vote? Why aren't they trying to win young people's vote?”

Perhaps we will see youth matters come to the fore in the next seven weeks of the election campaign. (Yes, there are seven more weeks to go.)

However, even if the unenrolled masses are suddenly inspired to have their say at the ballot box, they only have until May 23 to enrol, with the High Court yesterday ruling against a proposal to extend enrolment up to election day.

Young Aussies who have come of voting age this year will have seen the country cycle through five Prime Ministers since beginning high school. Though a streak of cynicism is understandable – and perhaps to be expected – there’s a chance that this near-constant PM turnover (outdoing even the turnover of The Project hosts) has also activated a new generation into wanting to be more involved in the political process.

Here’s hoping. Forgetting the fact that not voting can result in serious fines, participating in a nation’s democratic process is a genuine honour and gift; something the residents of other nations can only dream of.

Also, there are usually sausage sizzles at the voting booths. Freedom!

If you’re not yet enrolled, head to the Australian Electoral Commission’s website and take four minutes of your day to enrol online. The entire process is shorter than an ep of "Carpool Karaoke".

Wondering how we got here? Read up on some of the political issues that matter to young people this election:

It Begins: Your Guide To The 2016 Federal Election (On July 2!)

Why The 2016 Election Matters (And Young Aussies Should Enrol To Vote)

On The Budget:

Uni Fees, Paid Internships & School Funding: What Aussie Yoof Need To Know About The 2016 Budget

On University:

What You Need To Know About The Gov's Proposed Changes To HELP Repayments

On Negative Gearing:

PM Turnbull Takes Heat For Suggesting Parents “Shell Out” And Pay For Their Kids' Houses

On Same-Sex Marriage: