Students in Sheffield are being called to participate in the local elections and vote for the council and councillors alongside residents on May 7 next week.

In the 2025 local elections, The Electoral Commission reported that there was the lowest turnout since 2009 of 34%. The number of students and 18-25s was particularly low.

However this contradicts The Electoral Commission’s report that “81% of young people see living in a democracy as important.” 

Some university students may be unaware that they have the opportunity to vote in the local elections in addition to their home area. 

Amelia Sawkins, 19, a linguists and German student at the university of sheffield said: “I think it is important for students to vote, I plan on voting, I’ve got my postal vote already. I spend an equal if not more time here in Sheffield than back home in Bristol so I should  have a say and I should be informed on what is going on in this community that I’m living in.”

Students living in the Fulwood area can vote in the Edge in Endcliffe village. 

Toby Gurney Savage, 20, a Politics and Economics student at the University of Sheffield said: “Every vote counts the same and it is so easy to sign up for a proxy vote or to go and vote in Sheffield.”

Statistics found by the British Election Study said that around 65.4% of 18-25 year olds voted in the general election.

Phoebe Hill, 21, an English Literature with French and German student said: “We need to band together, especially as young people because young people are always polling low in the polls for voting records. We need to show the fascist right rise in the western world that we will not submit and we do that by voting.”

Sheffield students union in the lead up to the deadline for voter registration offered free donuts and snacks for those who were signed up. 

Emris Mason, 18, a sociology student said: “ I know a lot of people who don’t want to vote because they don’t agree with any of the candidates but I think you should still go and spoil your ballot because they will record all of the spoiled ballots and so if a demographic of 18-25 year olds are spoiling their ballot people might try to cater to us more.”