Sixteen and 17-year-olds are set to be able to vote in the next National Assembly of Wales elections in 2021.
The move, outlined to Assembly Members on Wednesday, July 18, is part of the first phase of plans by the Assembly’s commission to reform Wales’ parliament.
The independent Expert Panel on Assembly Electoral Reform recommended in December 2017 that 16 and 17-year-olds should be given the right to vote in Assembly elections.
A public consultation was held on the panel’s findings between February and April, with 59 per cent of respondents agreeing the voting age should be lowered to 16 years old. Any move will require a two thirds majority agreement from Welsh Assembly members.
Hefin David, Assembly Member for Caerphilly, said: “I welcome the decision and hope as many people as possible take the opportunity to use their vote. It’s also important that alongside this we deliver political education and that each generation learns from the next.
“I intend to visit schools in my constituency in the year ahead to talk about the work of the Welsh Parliament”
The second phase will focus on the question of the increase in size of the Assembly and the related decision on which voting system should be used to elect Assembly Members.
The panel recommends the formation of 20 new Welsh Assembly multi-member constituencies, with each electing at least four AMs each, taking the total to between 80 and 90.
The Assembly constituency of Caerphilly could be merged with Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney under the proposals, while Islwyn could merge with Blaenau Gwent.
Elin Jones AM, the Assembly’s Presiding Officer, said: “With the ever-increasing pressure and additional responsibilities of this parliament, it is my view that we need to take action as soon as possible. The only alternative is to accept that our Welsh parliament will face almost another decade of being underpowered.
“We now have the opportunity to make our parliament a more effective, accessible and diverse legislature; to forge the national parliament that the people of Wales deserve to champion their interests and hold the Welsh Government to account.”
I believe this a plot by Labour, they know young people will vote for them because of their fake policies. I also believe that they are too immature to vote.
Too true, at the last election it was the gullible foolish youth who fell for Corbyn’s lies when he told them that Labour would scrap tuition fees if they got into power……..not one of those students could actually tell you who it was that introduced tuition fees in the first place, oh yes it was Labour themselves who introduced tuition fees, this is Labour scrapping the bottom of the barrel going for the protest vote of the angry down trodden youth of today by voting against something that they aspire to be when they eventually grow up.
This is true, I well remember being sixteen and wanting to vote. The difference is that I was working, paying a third of my wages to my parents as well as tax and national insurance. Times have changed and a sixteen year old today is usually a school pupil displaying the level of maturity and political knowledge of a 12 year old of the early 1970’s.
Absolutely spot on – I have no doubt that there are 16 -17 year olds whoare very mature and would use their vote responsibly,however they are definitely in the minority.
In our locality the 16-17 year olds voting would be those we see fuelled by alcohol,hanging around our town centres.
I very much doubt many 16-17 year olds would actually be bothered to get out of bed to go and vote at a polling station, if the snowflake generation can’t do it with an app on their iPhone they won’t do it at all, so the next thing our wonderful Welsh Labour party will do is to introduce a Welsh Labour voting app – it will cost a fortune to download and use, then the phone will never work effectively ever again, pretty much like the Welsh Assembly Government.
Quite true – especially your comments regarding the use of their
i- phones / App.
The snowflake generation is one of the biggest threats to democracy in the UK.
If they do not agree with things they throw their toys out of their prams – and the recent incident at Manchester University regarding Rudyard Kiplings poem is a classic example.
They are unable to hold reasoned arguments and deal with issues in a democratic manner.
In their eyes,theirs is the only viewthat matters.
In total agreement – except on one thing…….Labour have no real policies – only unrealistic dreams.
If put into government they would end up putting this country into even greater debt and misery.
They have dreams….but are unable to tell us how they would pay for them.
Isn’t it strange, in the normal working environment of industry and commerce increased workload leads to calls for ‘greater productivity.’ Politicians laud this increase in productivity as a good thing. I have spent more than forty years in work and, year by year, have been expected to do more with less. The politicians in Cardiff demand extra powers and yet as soon as they get them expect the workforce, i.e. the number of elected members, to increase to cope. A good dose of reality would do the Cardiff assembly the world of good.
Therein lies the problem – Politicians do not live in the real world.
I’m afraid that the “good dose of reality” that they need is to be voted out of their positions…..they would then face the reality that ordinary working people face everyday……..job security.
It’s only since i’v retired & now have the time to observe how the Authority Function’s.
I realise it’s about 20/25 Elected Member’s who brow down the less
Informed Councillors to get their views accepted, then these Senior Councillors Pally-up with the Paid Officers to form their own little Quango. And Bob’s your Uncle, Democracy, is is Abolished.
So Simple.
It’s worse than that the, unelected, council officers call the shots nearly all the time. This is because nearly all newly elected councillors lack the expertise on highways, street lighting, law, finance, etc to contradict the officers, who have qualifications and experience on their side.
This is perfectly understandable and the paid employees of the council should be there to advise. Worryingly my dealings with council policies have led me to believe that the senior officers really have too much influence on what goes on. It is the ‘Sir Humphreys’ of the council that run things. The pay scandal is a case in point.
Before we allow 16/17 yrs the right to vote, we need to repeal all the Law’s ,
& legislation that Class them at the moment, As Juveniles, Young offenders (can’t mix with over 18s) no publicity because of their age. They should also be paid an Adult wage & pay Adult N-I Contributions. full fare & charges when Applicable.
We’l need to find homes for all those who are currently in care homes, (BECAUSE THEY ARE UNDER 18)but will now be Classed as independent self financing responsible Adults . Welcome to the real World.
Hefin Davies, is already planning to go into the Schools. they do this in China & N-Korea, Although we call that The Indoctoring of children’s Mind’s.
I chuckled at your.very perceptive, comment. If AMs are to speak to school children then that surely will have to be seen as even handed and Conservative, Plaid and UKIP AMs need to be able to do the same thing.
I think Hefin, in his enthusiasm, has not thought this through and on reflection will realise that he has no place in our schools. All children need to be taught about the Assembly is why it came into being, what it does and how its members are elected. They can work out the rest for themselves, I worked out what the Assembly really is a long time ago!