AMs will debate lowering the voting age to 16 in the latest Individual Members’ Debate to the held at the National Assembly for Wales on Wednesday 4 July.
The motion, put forward by Julie Morgan AM, Aled Roberts AM, Bethan Jenkins AM and Paul Davies AM, proposes that the National Assembly for Wales “supports lowering the voting age to 16 years in all elections and referendums held in Wales.”
Cardiff North AM, Julie Morgan said: “I am delighted to have this opportunity to move the debate forward in Wales on Votes at 16.
“It is important for democracy that all parts of society have a voice and are fully represented.
“I firmly believe that lowering the voting age would help engage our young people in the decisions that affect their lives. It should also set a pattern for greater participation in elections later in life.”
The motion has been put forward with cross-party support and was selected for debate by the Business Committee. Individual Member Debates gives Members a way of raising important issues of relevance to their constituents and to bring them to the attention of the National Assembly. This is the sixth such debate to take place since the introduction of this opportunity in autumn 2011.
Do you think the voting age should be lowered to 16? Let us know below.
I’m very pleased that the debate on lowering the voting age to 16 will be discussed in the chamber of the Welsh Assembly as I believe passionately that young people’s voices need to be taken in to consideration to a greater extent than they are at the moment.
For me and for the majority on the progressive side of the divide we want a society in which the views of the people are equally represented. Young people are often unfairly stigmatised and are associated with negative connotations however they are the future of this country and deserve to start influencing the political make up of our society from when they are able to make an informed judgement.
That informed judgement I believe begins when they are able to leave school, reach the age of consent and pay their taxes. Like the old saying goes “no taxation without representation”