Are students tactically voting?

The dilemma of whether or not to vote tactically in last week’s general election affected many of those voting.

During this election websites such as tactical.vote have been used to guide voters on what the tactical vote is in their constituency to get the conservatives out of their seats.  

With a very close vote between Conservatives and Lib Dems in Cheltenham, many potential Labour voters decided to vote Lib Dem to get Alex Chalk, the Conservative MP, out.

But what did students in Cheltenham think of tactically voting?

Danyal Khan, 19, said: “I tactically voted for Lib Dems as I can’t stand the Conservatives. In their 9-year reign, austerity has risen, child poverty has risen and food banks are oversubscribed. This has all happened under the Conservatives and I want them out for that.”

While some saw the benefit in a tactical vote, others felt that it was a waste of a vote.

Lucy Rees, 19, said: “If you vote for Lib Dems to try and get the Conservatives out then the Lib Dems get in, it defeats the object because you’re a Labour supporter and you’re not supporting them and might not agree with all of their policies, so what’s the point? All their policies being Lib Dem policies.”

Other students from around the UK like Sam Pollard, 19, from the University of Warwick, said: “I voted Green because I think tactical voting is propping up the first past the post system which needs to go, I know quite a few people doing the same.”