Majority of younger voters want to vote online

And as the debate still rages between government and broadcasters about the format of TV debates, this research found a wider malaise about the state of the political process.

Asked if they think the current UK political system is ‘failing’, 61% of all online adults agreed. The figure increased to 67% for 35- to 44-year-olds. For some, there was a feeling that digital media should be used for greater political interaction.

Fifty-seven per cent of all respondents said they should be given the opportunity to vote regularly via digital media on key political issues and legislation debated in Parliament.

While 88% of respondents agreed that social media is transforming the way people live and communicate with others, only 23% of all adults said they believe politicians are effective at using digital media.

EngageSciences’ founder and CEO, Richard Jones, said: “Digital disruption is having a transformative effect on most industries and sectors, but UK politics remains stuck in a system developed for the age of the horse, not the internet. John Bercow’s recent comments that online voting for general elections should be in place by 2020 isn’t enough. The political process needs to be updated now – not in five years’ time.”

YouGov sample size was 2009 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken 17^th – 18^th February 2015 online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).