Facebook users vote for hung parliament in ground-breaking ‘snap election’
-Social media election kicks off by revealing that a third of women voters are still undecided-
The UK is heading for a period of political gridlock according to a ground-breaking ‘snap election’ on Facebook, held within hours of Gordon Brown’s election announcement.
Voters on Facebook put the Tories marginally ahead with 33.0% of the vote. But due to the quirks of the electoral system, Labour’s vote of 28.6% could still be enough to make it the largest party, potentially leading to the first hung parliament since 1974 and weeks of wrangling over who will form the next government.
If these results were replicated nationwide, 6 May would see 293 Labour MPs returned to Parliament, 265 Conservative and 59 Liberal Democrat. This would mean that for the first time since 1974, the party with the most votes would not win the most seats.
With 2010 dubbed the first ever social media election, 16,000 Facebook users participated in the snap election today, just 90 minutes after Prime Minister Gordon Brown had publicly declared an election and three weeks after Facebook launched its Democracy UK fan page, bringing people and politics together.
Within 20 minutes of the snap election being called, the results put the Conservative Party in the lead with 33.0% of those planning to vote on 6 May, the Labour Party in second place with 28.6% and the Liberal Democrats on 17.5%. A large block of voters – 20.8% - are rejecting mainstream parties altogether.
With a month to go until polling day, the snap election reveals that almost a quarter of voters – 22.5% - have yet to make up their minds. And the results show that women could be the ones who decide the outcome of the 2010 general election, with just under a third (29.6%) undecided about whom they would vote for – twice as many as men (14.6%).
The rapid results show that although voters are turning their backs on Labour, they are not necessarily endorsing the Conservative Party as their preferred alternative.
Over half of respondents were 18- 24 year olds, the majority of whom will be voting for the first time this year. Amongst 18-24 year olds 32.1 % backed the Conservatives, versus 29.5% backing Labour. But the results show little variation across the generations – even when weighted for age, the snap election still shows a hung parliament with Labour the largest party.
Richard Allan, Director of Policy, Europe at Facebook said:
“Facebook users have today delivered their verdict on who they would like to rule the country and it’s clear that although people are rejecting the Labour Party, they are not yet endorsing the Conservatives. The election remains too close to call and a significant number of voters are undecided
“With a month to go until the UK heads to the polls it’s clear that if they want to secure election success parties will have to convince those undecided voters, women in particular, that they have the policies and people to make a genuine difference to people’s lives.
“With 16,000 people voting in only 20 minutes in our snap election, it is clear that social networking sites like Facebook will play a massive role in helping voters to make up their minds.”
For more information
Please contact Sally Aldous, Matthew Burchell, Lotte Jones, or Laurie Erlam at facebook@bluerubicon.com or 0207 260 2700
Notes to editors
1. More than 16,000 people voted in the Facebook snap election which took place between 12:40 – 1:15pm. Ballot papers appeared in the right-hand side of Facebook user’s newsfeeds.
2. Users were asked: With Gordon Brown calling the 2010 general election, have your say TODAY in Facebook’s snap election. Which political party will you vote for in the general election on 6 May?
· Labour
· Conservative
· Liberal Democrat
· Other (e.g. Green, UKIP, SNP, Plaid Cymru)
· I haven’t decided who I’m voting for
3. The results were:
| Lab | Con | LD | Other | |
| Snap poll results | 29.0% | 32.7% | 19.1% | 19.2% |
| Weighted by age | 28.6% | 33.0% | 17.5% | 20.8% |
| 18-24 | 29.5% | 32.1% | 21.5% | 16.9% |
| 25-34 | 27.5% | 35.3% | 17.8% | 19.4% |
| 35-49 | 28.9% | 32.1% | 15.6% | 23.5% |
| Male | 29.0% | 33.0% | 18.4% | 19.6% |
| Female | 29.0% | 32.0% | 20.1% | 19.0% |
| Projected seats | 293 | 265 | 59 | |
| Projected seats (weighted by age) | 288 | 272 | 57 |
| Decided | Undecided | |
| Snap poll results | 79.2% | 20.8% |
| Weighted by age | 77.5% | 22.5% |
| 18-24 | 81.3% | 18.7% |
| 25-34 | 77.7% | 22.3% |
| 35-49 | 75.8% | 24.2% |
| Male | 85.4% | 14.6% |
| Female | 70.8% | 29.2% |
4. Seat projections were made using www.electoralcalculus.co.uk
5. Facebook’s general election fan page is: www.facebook.com/democracyuk
Media enquiries should be directed to facebook@bluerubicon.com or you can phone 020 7260 2700 and ask for a member of the Facebook team.
