Chennai District Election Office to launch first-time voter awareness campaign at 178 colleges

Starting Tuesday, the Chennai District Election Office will reach out to college students and conduct voter education programmes at 178 colleges in the 16 Assembly constituencies across the district as part of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) activities.

This week, election officials will visit various colleges in areas such as Saidapet, Tondiarpet, and T. Nagar to sensitise first-time voters on the importance of voting and increasing the turnout in all Assembly constituencies of the district.

While first-time voters in the 16 Assembly constituencies are estimated at 62,005, the number of students at the 178 colleges in the district are significantly higher because of the enrolment of a large number of students from other districts.

“Some residents in urban areas seem to be reluctant to vote. We will launch a cycle rally for college students on voter awareness on Tuesday. The SVEEP programmes will continue with many innovations introduced ahead of elections. We expect an increase in the turnout this year. First time voters will also be crucial in increasing the turnout in Chennai. They will motivate parents and family members to vote. We will also visit school students who will motivate their family members to increase the turnout,” said an official.

Perambur Assembly constituency with 5433 first time voters in the age group of 18-19 has the highest number in the district while Harbour constituency has the lowest number with just 2331 first time voters. 

Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar has 5129 first time voters, Kolathur, 4742, Villivakkam, 3683, Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar, 3728, Egmore, 2829, Royapuram, 3114, Chepauk Thiruvallikeni, 3684, Thousand Lights, 2978, Anna Nagar, 4034, Virugampakkam, 4892, Saidapet, 4229, Thyagaraya Nagar, 2981, Mylapore, 3440, and Velacher, 4778.

Chennai District Election Office has also planned to identify polling booths with low turnout in the previous elections and take measures to increase the turnout. 

For instance, several booths in areas such as Nungambakkam in roads such as Anderson Road have registered a turnout of less than 30% in the previous elections.

The election officials will identify such booths and take measures to increase the turnout in the Assembly elections 2026, said an official. “We are planning to motivate first time voters by creating models of polling booths in the sea, with student volunteers braving the sea waves and participating in the SVEEP activity,” said an official. SVEEP activities started in the Marina beach on Sunday.