Televised debates, Bigots-Gate, immigration, economic meltdown, Clegg-mania, Sam-Cam, Web-Cam… This year’s dramatic election engaged voters like never before. Record numbers of people turned out to have their say, and it was a close call, resulting in a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition.

All this electoral drama is hard to dissect. So we caught up with Kalimocho.co.uk readers from across the UK to find out what the 2010 election meant for you. And what a clued-up bunch you are!

Right from the offset we knew this election was going to be different. The US style TV leader debates changed the political landscape and made Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg a serious contender for PM. Gordon Brown made an old lady cry on national TV, and David Cameron, well he (or his forehead) just shined. Then the election happened with no overall winner, and it took five days to figure out who would be PM. It’s David Cameron, in case you were wondering. But we were hooked, and we know you were too.

Why the Buzz?
Faye Jordan, 28 years, is a member of the Labour party and an active campaigner. She knows her political beans. She says: “For the first time since 1997 there was a chance for the government to change, and there was a lot more at stake than with previous elections.”

“Plus the TV debates really made a difference,” she adds. “People were talking about who did well, what was said, and it probably changed the way they voted.”
Heather, 24, is from Liverpool and works for the NHS. “I really got into the election this year,” she says. “The TV debates got everyone I know talking about it. Our constituency last year had one of the lowest turnouts in the country, but this year it was pretty high, and I think it was partly down to this.”

“You could also see how the leaders perform under pressure,” agrees Kim, 23, a journalist from Cornwall. “If you’re like Gordon Brown and you have no charisma then it’s not good. I think that’s why David Cameron did so well!”

“Also, we’re coming out of a big recession,” adds Faye, “and many people will have experienced its effects. They might have lost their job, are working less hours, or they have left university and can’t find work. The election really comes alive when people are directly affected.”

Election X-Factor
So politically we got fired up, and many people wanted to have their say in society. In fact this election saw record numbers of people turning out to vote.

“It’s really, really important, especially for women” says Harriet, 18, an A-Level student and first time voter from Lancashire. “Not voting is one of the worst things you can do,” she adds. Kim agrees: “If you don’t vote you can’t moan. And it’s not just affecting us now, it affects our future.”

However, there are those out there who chose not to get involved. Alice, 20, a student from Leicester, just wasn’t enthused by what the politicians had to say.

“If there was one party I wanted to vote for, I’d want my voice heard,” she says. “But there isn’t one. I felt that the information we were given was dumbed down. They didn’t tackle issues important to me. No-one said we’re going to get people who can work off the dole, or we’re lowering tuition fees.”

“In fact no-one really came and said anything,” she continues. “Although Nick Clegg visited our uni to give a talk and everyone was into that. I missed it though because it was on a Saturday morning and I was in bed.”

Many, like Alice, feel disconnected from the political process. After all, for the past 13 years we’ve had the same government doing whatever they want, seemingly unchallenged. But many people object to non-voters. “Some people say that they’re exercising their right to democracy by not voting,” says Kim. “But when you think about what people went through so we can vote, I just think it’s pure laziness.”

What floats your boat?
What motivates people to vote is a mush of reasons and influences. As Faye explains: “You could vote for a party because of the whole package, like the Tories offering less government intervention. Or it might be a single issue, like the environment, and you look at all the party manifestos and you decide from that.”