The voter list in Kerala has experienced a significant surge in the enrollment of young voters since the publication of the draft list last October, according to data. Over the past five months leading up to the Lok Sabha elections, more than 3.11 lakh youths aged between 18 and 19 have been added to the state’s electoral roll.
Sanjay Kaul, the Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala, attributed this notable increase in young voter enrollment to the extensive awareness programs and initiatives conducted by the Chief Electoral Office, as well as campaigns organized in districts under the guidance of District Electoral Officers.
Since the release of the draft Electoral Roll on October 23, 2023, a total of 3,11,805 new voters have registered. The draft list, which initially comprised 77,176 voters, saw a substantial rise to 2,88,533 in the final list published on January 22.
As of March 25, there are now 3,88,951 young voters aged between 18 and 19 on the electoral roll. This rapid increase in the number of young voters within such a short timeframe is reportedly the highest in the country.
Additionally, the number of transgender voters has also seen an increase from 268 in the draft Electoral Roll to 309 in the final list. Presently, there are 338 transgender individuals listed as voters.
To facilitate voter education and participation, various activities and awareness programs were conducted through social media platforms, as well as in colleges, universities, and other public spaces, as part of the Election Commission’s Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiative. The “VOTE VANDI” (voter vehicle) was deployed for campaigning purposes across different constituencies in the state.
Sanjay Kaul further highlighted the positive reception of voter awareness campaigns conducted via social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, through the official accounts of the Chief Electoral Officer and District Electoral Officers. These initiatives have played a crucial role in disseminating information and encouraging voter engagement among the public.
