Nearly 80 years after women were given the same voting rights as men, just 31 per cent of the candidates vying for council seats in this Thursday's local elections will be women.

Despite all the measures to enfranchise women and ensure equal representation, women still aren't securing many bums on seats. In the London assembly elections, of 151 candidates across all parties, just 52 of the candidates are women.

The Electoral Reform Society has launched a campaign to try and improve women's participation in politics. But do women voters feel it's their duty to empower others with their ballot?

We took a camera out to London's South Bank to ask young women whether they'd be voting in the London elections, who for, and whether women's issues were important to them.

In an age where political commentators bemoan voter apathy, the results were surprising. Almost all those we approached and talked to on or off camera intended to vote.

Very few of them felt they would be more likely to vote for a woman candidate than a man, and even fewer made a decision on a candidate because of their policies relating to women.

See for yourself by clicking above.

- July 2 is the 80th anniversary of women being given equal voting rights as men. For more information about Electoral Reform's campaign visit www.womenandthevote.com

Explore Women

• Fashion

• Beauty

• Diet & Fitness

• Relationships

• Families

• Celebrity

• The Way We Live

• Horoscopes

Times recommends

• It is possible to look stylish while pregnant
• Britain’s tot models
• Who and what benefits from the heat wave?