It feels like only yesterday that Theresa May called the snap election, but this Thursday it's actually happening. Millions of us will take to the polls and mark that little 'X' on a bit of paper. Many of us have already done so via post. And thank god, because the stakes have arguably never been higher, what with Brexit, the NHS in near-tatters, threats to national security and a misogynistic bully leading the free world.
But the parties' manifestos differ wildly – not least when it comes to issues that disproportionately affect women – so our choice will have consequences. Unfortunately, young women are statistically among the least likely to cast their vote. Fewer than half of 18-to-24-year-old women and just 54% of women aged 25-34 voted in the 2015 election, and fewer women than men voted in last year's EU referendum. What's stopping us? We spoke to young women supporting the gamut of parties about what's motivating them this year. So if you're yet to decide who to vote for, or toying with the idea of shunning the polling station altogether, their answers might inspire you to use your voice.
Frances Leach, 20, a student and blogger from Manchester, is voting for Labour.
Why are you voting the way you are?
I'm voting for Labour because after joining the party when I was 18, I have been consistently impressed with their dedication to helping those who are vulnerable in society. I've always considered myself left-wing, but I really identify with Labour's main policies at the moment and feel like I can really trust Jeremy Corbyn as leader. My family is predominantly left-wing but I'm the most vocal Labour supporter out of us all.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
This is my second time voting. I voted Labour last time in my home constituency and we lost so badly, it was pretty demoralising. But I'll be voting Labour in Manchester this time, which is a Labour safe seat, so I'm confident it should be a good result.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
I have a mixed bag of friends. The ones who are politically active are all voting Labour. However, I've got some friends who don't vote at all, but that's their choice and I'd never berate them for it. Given the current state of politics at the moment, I understand why they're not bothered either way. They think it doesn't affect them. The majority of young people I know say they're voting Labour, but it's pretty unpopular to be my age and vote Conservative, so I don't doubt there are some secret Theresa May fans out there!
Claire Lloyd, 30, a university student from London, is voting for Labour.
Why are you voting the way you are?
After much flipping between the Lib Dems and Labour, I realise I have to vote for Corbyn. I don't usually vote for Labour, actually, but given the state of the government it has to be Corbyn. I'm voting for Labour because they care about people, animals and the environment and the Conservatives don't. The hunting act was a big thing for me, I'm completely against blood sports so there's no way I was ever voting Tory. I also don't like the way in which the Conservatives have treated people in recent years, especially the elderly and the sick – pushing people who are dying back into work and cutting welfare for the poorest families. A Labour government won't be perfect but they'll try to safeguard the environment, protect the elderly and you won't have people starving to death. Corbyn seems very human, very decent and he's got an activist background, which appeals to me. The Tories are all about the rich and the privileged and this country deserves better than a party that panders to the rich and corporations.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
I've always voted Green but more recently I've been swayed over to the Lib Dems, really because of Brexit. I also like that they want to give votes to 16- and 17-year-olds. The only reason I'm not voting for them is because of the first-past-the-post voting system, which doesn't seem fair to me. I'd much rather Labour and Corbyn than May and the Tories, but in an ideal world I'd love to see a Lib Dem prime minister.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
Sadly, many people have been considering voting UKIP because they're taken in by the propaganda of the Daily Mail and other newspapers. These papers are scapegoating immigrants and blaming them for strains on the NHS and housing, but actually it's Tory cuts that have put the NHS and council housing in crisis. So people are voting UKIP, but I think it's about to start changing – more people are now returning to Labour and and the Lib Dems seem to be getting a lot of new supporters.
Fatima Jalloh, 23, an editorial intern from London, is voting for Labour.
Why are you voting the way you are?
Safety. The safety of those in my country and community is vital. Police numbers have been cut by 20,000 since 2010, which is unacceptable. As the elder sister of a young black male living in southeast London, safety and security is always on my mind. With the rise in crime and violent offences across the city, I want to be assured, or at least be confident, that the leader of the country has implemented policies for the protection and prevention of crime. Labour’s manifesto says the party will recruit 10,000 more police officers to work on community beats.
Labour is also aware of the institutional biases against BAME communities, which many leaders turn a blind eye to and fail to acknowledge. I support their work to eliminate these false prejudices, which have resulted in the increase of BAME people being targeted, stopped and searched. Change needs to happen and with Labour we can at least hope it can.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
I've voted Labour previously, too.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
My female friends and I have similar opinions in regards to who we would ideally want the country to be run by and Corbyn is the closest fit. They, too, want change. They support what Corbyn stands for and some of the causes he has stood for in the past. Also, Corbyn doesn't come across as an uppity robot.
Debbie Walpole, 36, a financial director from London, is voting for the Conservatives.
Why are you voting the way you are?
I was brought up in a Tory household, but voting Conservative wasn’t a done deal for me. I did my research and read all the manifestos. There isn’t one I wholly agree with but the Conservatives' aligned with my beliefs the most. With Brexit negotiations to begin soon after the election, we're entering two years of uncertainty. No one can predict what's to come, so the best way to defend our economy is to keep it an attractive place to do business and attract investment. I believe the Conservatives' plan to lower corporation tax will help achieve this, whereas Labour’s plan to increase it is foolish at this time.
Our education system is flawed and I have experience of the state system failing me. I was fortunate as my father saw this and could afford to send me to a private school, so Labour’s policy to introduce VAT on private school fees really angers me. Not every parent who sends their child to a private school is rich and many make sacrifices to be able to afford to. It’s insulting to charge these parents VAT on the school fees given they are already helping the government by reducing the stress on the state education sector.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
I voted for UKIP in the last election because I believed the UK, and all of Europe should be out of the European Union. For me, the reasons weren’t about immigration or sovereignty but for the lack of faith I have in a centralised government being able to responsibly represent all 28 member states with such diverse economies. In my eyes, UKIP had one purpose – to get a referendum on the EU. Now this has been decided, I see no reason to vote for them again.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
My friends' views are far more evenly spread this time around. During the EU referendum, I felt like the minority voting Leave. The online criticism of Leave voters by my friends on Facebook and Twitter shocked me. They assumed you must be racist, uneducated and xenophobic if you voted Leave, which I'm not. Most of my close friends claim to be undecided between the Conservatives and Labour and are researching the policies to choose a party that best fits with their ethos. On social media I still see the left being far more vocal and aggressive, but this time around I've decided to just hide or block them rather than take their comments personally.
Aria Babu, 20, a university student in London, is voting for the Liberal Democrats.
Why are you voting the way you are?
I love the Lib Dems for a number of reasons. On an ideological level I'm deeply committed to the concept of giving people the maximum autonomy over their own lives, which is the crux of liberalism. But I also think the party has some great policies this election. It's hard to tell because of the narrative of the Labour Party, but I feel the Lib Dems promise the most to our most vulnerable. They want to end the benefit freeze, accept refugees and fund schools. Labour are focused on middle class subsidies and attacking the wealthy in the name of Marxism.
The Lib Dems are more economically sound than the Conservative party, too, who want to pull us out of our most important trading relationship to pacify the xenophobic fringes of their party. Labour and the Conservatives are both disappointing on the environment and immigration. Even if the Lib Dems didn't exist, I'd spoil my ballot this election because I couldn't in good faith be complicit in installing either of the traditional parties into government.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
I've voted consistently for the Lib Dems in the 2015 general election, the Greater London Authority and London mayoral elections and the local council elections, and I voted Remain in the EU referendum.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
I do exist in a bit of an echo chamber, so a lot of my political friends are voting Lib Dem. A lot of my other friends are undecided. I've a fair number who've asked me how to vote tactically for the Lib Dems in their constituencies and I think the others are mostly keeping quiet. The silence speaks volumes, however, and I imagine a fair number of my school friends are voting Conservative.
Victoria Charleston, 29, a senior campaigns and policy officer for the Suzy Lamplugh Trust from London, is voting for the Liberal Democrats.
Why are you voting the way you are?
This time around, the policies I'm particularly drawn to include the commitment to increase funding to the NHS and social care; we need a holistic approach to people's health that's properly funded. I'm also hugely in favour of the Lib Dems' commitment to the environment. Air pollution in our cities has got to be tackled and that can only be done through making tough choices that I know Lib Dems understand. Finally, the Lib Dems have campaigned tirelessly on behalf of Syrian refugees, while the Conservative government's record is shameful. The Lib Dems' commitment to taking 50,000 Syrian refugees by 2022 reflects the open, welcoming country I want to be a part of.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
I always vote for the Lib Dems because of the focus on individual autonomy and civil rights. I believe passionately that everyone ought to have the opportunity to live their lives as they wish.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
I have friends across the political spectrum voting for all the different parties, but what is consistent is that everyone seems to be considering their vote pretty hard and thinking about voting tactically. The Tory messages of fear they used in 2015 are not working this time around among people I know – they want to see change and a more hopeful offer.
Megan Greenwood, 18, an A-level student from Kirk Ella in the northeast, is voting for the Green party.
Why are you voting the way you are?
I've been a Green Party supporter and member since I was 15 and will be enthusiastically voting for Angela Needham in Haltemprice & Howden. I considered voting tactically for Labour as I live in a heavily Conservative area and the manifesto sits well with me, but Labour doesn't do enough environmentally nor do they believe strongly enough in proportional representation.
The Green Party's care and consideration for the environment first drew me to the party, then came their policies that fight for the rights of women and members of the LGBT+ community. My parents have always been politically apathetic – as a working class family, my mother simply didn't believe any party represented her views and beliefs, so she didn't vote. I have since persuaded her to register. My grandparents are heavily Conservative; with a big business it's always been in my grandfather's best interest to vote Conservative and I think my grandmother follows his lead to avoid political arguments at the dinner table. I believe we're all citizens of the Earth – as long as the correct and effective security procedures are implemented, free movement shouldn't be a problem.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
The 2017 election will be my first ever vote. For me, it's the most exciting predicate of being an adult!
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
A sizeable majority of females my age are voting Labour or Green, mainly because they're the only parties that encourage equality and take female issues seriously. Issues such as mental and physical disabilities, tuition fees and benefits are dealt with in a respectable manner by the left-wing parties, while many young women I know feel alienated by the right and centre parties. I can see that socialism has become somewhat "trendy" and may influence the way in which young people vote. Nevertheless, young women are considerate, passionate, hardworking and are mindful of the fact that it's not only them the government affects.
Abigail Eatock, 20, a student and chair of the University of York's UKIP society from Greater Manchester, is a UKIP supporter and undecided voter.
Why are you voting the way you are?
I live in a Conservative seat and with no UKIP candidate running in my area, I'm struggling to decide who to vote for. I'm tempted to spoil my ballot to send a message to the Westminster elite, as I believe our current electoral system is rigged in favour of mainstream parties who are unable and unwilling to change the way in which politics is done. If I had a UKIP candidate in my area, I'd vote for them, as I believe that only UKIP are capable of bringing about real and positive change. UKIP achieved Brexit, but there's a lot left to take in and I believe UKIP is the only party that puts British interests first, and isn't afraid to state the facts, however uncomfortable. My family are Conservatives and while they support my politics, they believe UKIP’s role is finished, so we differ on that point.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
I'll admit I voted Conservative in the 2015 general election, but I defected to UKIP the day after due to the discrepancy between votes and seats. I also voted Leave in the EU referendum, and campaigned with Vote Leave to achieve Brexit.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
Outside of UKIP, all my female friends are Labour supporters and it's always a source of contention. I have very identifiable differences in my politics compared to most of my friends and have often been attacked for my views. Lots of women around me believe that by supporting UKIP, I'm acting against my own gender, and I do spend a long time explaining and justifying my views to others, especially women.
Rhiannon Spear, 26, a councillor at Glasgow City Council from the Isle of Bute on the west coast of Scotland, is voting for the SNP.
Why are you voting the way you are?
I'll be voting for the SNP because as a young woman they're the only party that really speak to me. They've delivered free education which has changed my life dramatically, allowing me to have education up to degree level. At a time when UK politics is in absolute chaos, Nicola Sturgeon has been a kick-ass leader and an unbelievable inspiration for young women throughout Scotland.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
I've voted in every election I was eligible and have always voted SNP. I have a very strong memory of my dad taking me to the polling station when I was much younger, which instilled in me the importance of voting.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
Being the convenor of the SNP Youth, I'm surrounded by incredible young women who will all be supporting the SNP on 8th June. I think it's definitely Nicola Sturgeon's influence – there is a formidable generation of young women coming up in Scotland.
Honor Barber, 18, a university student from London, is a Women's Equality Party supporter who is voting Labour.
Why are you voting the way you are?
I'd vote for the Women's Equality Party if they were standing in my constituency, because they're standing on issues that are hugely important to me and are barely ever addressed by mainstream political parties. The Women’s Equality Party’s campaigns to end violence against women, get equality in education and end rape culture are issues that directly affect young women and that other political parties often refuse to prioritise. Because of this, I believe the Women’s Equality Party is more inclusive and offers real possibilities for improving the lives of all women and the differences in their needs. Meanwhile, most political parties not only assume that all women are the same through talking about “women’s issues”, but also tend to talk about almost all other issues as more important, including fox hunting.
Who have you voted for in previous elections?
This will be my first time voting.
What's the impression you get from female friends your age? Who are they voting for?
Most of my friends are voting Labour and some of those living in Vauxhall and Hornsey & Wood Green are voting for the Women’s Equality Party.
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