The 500,000 non voters in Northern Ireland have power which they don’t use
The Social Market Research survey for the University of Liverpool shows healthy support for the Union even among non voters.
It seems to me that the Union, to a large extent, sells itself despite a rudderless political unionism. Presumably these non voters are apathetic, disillusioned or frustrated with politics.
They number 500,000 and growing, many of them young and social media savvy, yet there are options on the ballot paper other than archaic unionism or nationalism if that is what they want.
The environment is a big issue, especially amongst the young we are told, yet the Green Party got only 2.3% of the vote at the 2017 Assembly election.
As the largest section of the electorate, the power to shake up local politics and give some semblance of normality here is literally in the hands of non voters if they pick up a ballot paper and vote. What do they do with this power? Nothing. They stay at home and sit on those same hands.
Thomas Stewart, Belfast BT4