Deliberative conversation · Phase 2 · December 2025

How to improve youth voter registration

“How can the government improve the voter registration process to get more youth registered?” Most of the issues young people raised are about services run by the leaders they elect.

WhenDecember 2025

Wherepol.is and an X Space

See what young people agreed on Add your voice

At a glance

Early results

456

votes cast

ideas shared by young people

people voted on enough statements to be included in the analysis

Early results, reported in December 2025.

Why voter registration

From services to the ballot

Most of the issues young people raised in Phase 2, from healthcare and roads to jobs and IDs, are about public services, and the leaders young people elect decide how those services are run and funded. So the third national conversation looked at what stops young people from registering to vote. See how the topics were chosen.

In October 2025, news and field reports noted that many young people were not registering as voters, even though many had taken to the streets in 2024 and mid-2025. Voter registration had also come up in the Nairobi baraza, where young people pointed to centres that are hard to reach and little awareness of why registering matters.

“Many Kenyans have shared that the voter registration process is happening in a few areas and would want to register but they can’t do it. How do you think the process can be improved?”

The prompt that opened the conversation on pol.is

What young people agreed on

Make it easier, and bring it closer

The statements where at least 60% of participants voted the same way, in their own words.

The most agreed solutions

AgreedDisagreedPassed

“If the ID card application process is made faster and easier then more youth will register”

92%3%5%

92% agreed · 3% disagreed · 28 people voted

“Government should ensure voter registration is happening at the village level.”

85%3%12%

85% agreed · 3% disagreed · 28 people voted

“The registration process should go to schools, colleges and universities to get more youth”

88%12%

88% agreed · 0% disagreed · 27 people voted

“All polling stations should be voters registration centres”

87%6%7%

87% agreed · 6% disagreed · 16 people voted

“Youths should be empowered. Not to be used just as political tool”

100%

100% agreed · 0% disagreed · 10 people voted

Source: zKe pol.is results, December 2025.

The strongest message links straight back to the ID conversation: if getting an ID were faster and easier, more young people would register. Young people also want registration brought closer to them, at village level, in schools, colleges and universities and at every polling station. And they want to be empowered to understand why registering matters, not just mobilised as a political tool.

No real split

Both opinion groups pol.is found agreed with all of the solutions above. One of the two groups had only four people, though, so treat these as early signals rather than settled views.

Live on X

The cost of participation

On 15 December 2025, zKe hosted an X Space titled “The Cost of Participation: Are Political Parties Affordable for Youths?”, which drew around 1,700 listeners.

What happens next

Sharing with election stakeholders

These findings are the start of the insights zKe set out to share with election stakeholders, including the IEBC, to encourage more young people to register. An IEBC representative attended the Kisumu baraza and heard young people’s concerns directly.

Have you registered to vote? If not, what is stopping you? Share your ideas or vote on other people’s.

Add your voice

Tell us what would get more young people registered, or vote on other people’s ideas.

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