Politicians have used open mic nights, Facebook profiles and Youtube announcements in a bid to lock up the youth vote.

Recognising that voters under 30 turn to the Internet for their information, 23 of the candidates (13 PLP and ten UBP) have opened Facebook profiles allowing more one-on-one access.

Facebook is a global online community which has more than 8,500 Bermudian residents on it — more than ten percent of Bermuda's population.

PLP candidates have also held live online conversations on the website allowing young people to pose their questions and concerns directly to a politician.

The PLP then stepped it up a notch by announcing the December 18 election via a Youtube announcement, believed to be the first election ever to be announced via the video sharing website.

Their Progressive Labour channel on the website also has 59 videos posted.

Not to be outdone, the UBP are expected to unveil satirical videos on Youtube today.

Whether the videos will be a hit and channel Emmy winner Jon Stewart's 'The Daily Show' clips — much revered by young voters in the US — remains to be seen. Their Youtube channel, United Bermuda, has six videos on it.

Denis Pitcher, who is 26 and runs the 21 Square Mile blog, said it was hard to say who was doing a better job.

"The PLP's efforts to court the youth online have likely put them ahead in one regard, however, having called an election without having enabled absentee voting may well have turned off many away at school, even those returning to vote.

"The UBP's focus on the issues may put them ahead for those with allegiance to reason more than emotion or family tradition and despite their late adoption of technology, they may likely still fare well as they have empowered and united many youth through it."

Both parties have also stepped from behind the computer screens and invited young voters to open mic nights in a bid to make young voters feel that their views are important and votes valuable.

The PLP's open mic nights were a slick performance with Premier Ewart Brown appearing casual and persuasive, never caught off guard by any question and willing to enter into debate about issues that were raised at Greg's Steak House during the summer.

The UBP's youth night was equally casual, though the production was less slick.

Instead of just focusing on the discussions taking place on the microphone, many MPs were there and engaging smaller groups dotted around the Swizzle Inn in Warwick.

With 29 days till the election, it is clear that both parties have made an effort to win more than the youth vote by trying to engage young voters at their level and using their technology.

Mr. Pitcher, said it was important to cultivate young voters as they may not have as strong a sense of party loyalty as older voters.

"While many may inherit their parent's predisposition, many still are likely to be less tied to the history our parents knew and may well approach the election with focus more on issues than historical allegiances and transgressions from before our time," he said.

"Indeed, those aged 26 and under are likely to have been ineligible to vote during the previous reign of the UBP and, thus, are less likely to be as familiar with their governance."

But he added that it was hard to gauge whether the young voters believe that their votes actually matter.

"I am uncertain how much the youth in Bermuda really feel like their vote will make a difference with such limited options," Mr. Pitcher said.

"Both parties are largely tied to a battle that was before our time leaving the youth to feel as if our future is being gambled with on issues that have less importance to us than our parents and grandparents.

"The youth are often more idealistic than older generations and thus those in other countries can latch on to fringe parties that better represent their ideals. More so, university cultures abroad spur greater interest in politics and unfortunately a similar atmosphere doesn't exist here."

Meanwhile the young people polled in The Royal Gazette survey had mixed feelings on whether politicians were actually paying attention to their concerns, or merely paying them lip service to win votes.

Kim Caines, chairwoman of the UBP youth group, said her biggest concerns heading into the election were the increased racial tension on the Island and the poor education system.

Kim, who lives in Devonshire and attends City University Law School said: "Young people are being talked to but being listened to is an entirely different issue. It is a fad to listen to young people to get the vote but there is little action.

"It is only so long that you can wine and dine us. The appearance of listening to young people is prevalent because our vote is important."

Twenty-four-year-old Katura Horton Perinchief, whose father is Attorney General Philip Perinchief and counts uncles Minister of Education Randolph Horton and Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs Wayne Perinchief, echoed Kim's concerns about the "undeniable racial divide between white Bermuda and black Bermuda".

She is also concerned about the high cost of living — particularly housing costs — but said that this Government is really paying attention to young voters.

"We have more access to our politicians than we ever have in the past," she said. "How many people can say that the head of their country is on Facebook?

"There was clear interest in young people when the election was announced on Youtube. I really thought that was progressive thinking."

But Victoria Clipper, 26, said she believes the politicians rush to join Facebook is just a fad.

Victoria, who is a reinsurance broker and lives in St. David's, said she is concerned about job stability within the International Business market.

"I believe that setting up a Facebook account is not the same as having young voters listened to," she said. "One of the politicians deletes those comments he finds inappropriate when they are just fuelling the debate and are obviously things that he doesn't want to hear or want other readers to read."