Since I was a kid, I've had absolutely no idea who my parents have voted for at each election.
My dad was always engaged with politics, but liked his privacy. My mum never told us because she didn't want to justify herself to dad just in case they were voting differently.
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Who are you Mark McGowan?
As the WA state election looms, political reporter Brendan Foster takes a stroll with WA Labor Leader Mark McGowan along the Rockingham foreshore.
So going into my first state election in 2013, I had no guidance and no understanding about which political party best fit my interests. Being a 20-year-old, issues like infrastructure and international investment felt far too big for me to make a decision on.
While I knew it was important to vote, I wasn't entirely sold on why it was necessary for me to have an opinion. Surely all these problems and plans were better off solved by people in suits rather than a girl who was still making a decision on whether or not to have pasta or curry for dinner?
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Nevertheless, I went along to my local polling station with a friend who had never been less keen to attend something in his life. I drilled into him on the drive there the old adage: "If you don't vote, you don't get to complain".
When I asked who he planned to vote for, he told me he had no idea and he wasn't even sure what electorate he lived in.
As we left, he told me he ended up voting for the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party because he liked fishing.
This is pretty typical of my age group and our engagement with politics - you either truly and actively care about where your vote is going, or you head along for the sausage sizzle and to avoid the fine.
Personally, I don't think it has to be this way. I think every young person has the capacity to become involved and engaged- I just happen to think it's all in the approach.
While the youth vote is becoming increasingly important to the major parties, it's almost guaranteed my age group cops the same weird, alienating and cringey marketing we do every time there is an election.
In their last week of campaigning, Colin will probably take a few Snapchat selfies with some school kids, Mark might make a meme or two. We'll be promised more arts funding for 'rad' movie nights and told the government truly values creative professions such as photography, while simultaneously cutting them from VET FEE HELP schemes.
So where does that leave us?
They totally won't engage in NSW's lock out laws, they'll put on Fringe World around twice a year and maybe build a skate park or two.
Despite issues such as public transport accessibility, full-time employment and housing gaining real momentum, young people aren't expected to care about these 'real issues'. A lot of us are also apparently too 'self-interested' to care about Medicare privatisation, tax cuts or Western Power.
If you're chasing the elusive youth vote, maybe say something that is actually relevant to young people and engage them in a targeted discussion.
A lot of the big issues do affect young people, and you can guarantee they'd have something to say about it- but if you're going to keep bombarding us with badly done fish-eye lens advertisements of kids on BMX bikes... we're probably not going to listen.
Some of my best friends have travelled overseas on self-sustainability excursions and won scholarships to represent Australia overseas. Others have worked in LGBTQ+ and mental health safe spaces and even my friend who voted for the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party is half way through a degree in the medical field.
I promise we're smarter and more open to listening than we're given credit for; every young person has something they are passionate about and would stand up for and it shouldn't be this hard for our nation's leaders to acknowledge and understand that.
If politicians engaged young people with the right sort of attitude, respect and message, they may be surprised at what they find.
And for the love of god, stop writing your youth campaign messages in graffiti bubble-writing.
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