Renewed calls for voting age to be lowered for all UK elections
For the first time ever today, 16 and 17 year olds are voting in Scottish parliamentary elections.
But curiously Scots will be the only 16 and 17 year olds voting in their devolved parliament’s election and some of them won’t even be able to vote in the upcoming EU referendum unless they turn 18 before 23 June and no 16 and 17 year olds will be able to vote at the next UK parliament elections.
The voting age in Scottish Parliament elections was lowered after a successful trial during the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 but no other election has followed suit.
The anomaly has led to renewed calls for the lowering of the voting age in all UK elections.
Today is a historic day in Scotland, and a massive step in the realisation of young people’s rights
The British Youth Council, which began campaigning on votes at 16 in 1998 and is part of the Votes at 16 Coalition, says ever young person in the UK should have equal voting rights.
Jon Foster, chair of the British Youth Council, said: “Today we can celebrate a huge win for the thousands of 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland who will now have a chance to vote in Scottish parliamentary elections for the first time following the precedent set by the Scottish referendum back in 2014.
“We’ll be continuing to call on politicians in every other part of the UK to ensure 16 and 17 year olds get a vote in all elections!”
The Scottish Youth Parliament, which is also a member of the coalition and was influential in lowering the Scottish Parliament voting age, said it won’t stop campaigning until all elections are changed.
Katie Burke MSYP, and vice chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said: “Today is a historic day in Scotland, and a massive step in the realisation of young people’s rights.
“Our parliament has campaigned for votes at 16 since our formation in 1999, and I am overjoyed that our voices have been heard here in Scotland.
“However, our fellow 16 and 17-year-olds throughout the UK haven’t been afforded this same right, nor will Scottish 16 and 17-year-olds be able to vote in the upcoming EU referendum or UK elections.
“We will continue to make the case for votes at 16 on a UK-wide level until this contradiction is resolved.”
