Aged voters now find themselves being elbowed out of electoral politics as the major parties have focused on younger people in their swing to the left.

They are alienated from the process of forging political discourse through social network services, which are dominated by tech-savvy youth. Gray voters, who form a main conservative voting bloc, also feel frustrated by the ruling party’s dumping of their traditional values to compete with liberal and progressive groups in churning out populist pledges.

“It has been long since political debate disappeared from the conversation among my friends,” said a former lawmaker in his 70s, who wanted to be identified by his family name Lee.

Some active seniors have vented anger at what they see as disrespectful ways politicians have treated people of their generation, who have devoted their life to developing the country into a major economic power in the world.

If united or at least more alert, they say, the aged voting group could change the parties’ attitudes and contribute to preserving the conservative values discarded by the political circles.

The number of voters aged over 60 amounted to 7.55 million in the 2010 local elections, accounting for about 20 percent of voters. The corresponding figures for other age brackets were 6.93 million in their 20s, 8.31 million in their 30s, 8.71 million in their 40s and 6.68 million in their 50s.

Joined by some 50-something voters, the gray vote would be anything but a voice that party election strategists continue to snub in the parliamentary and presidential elections this year.

By Kim Kyung-ho (khkim@heraldcorp.com)