There is cross-party support for the reduction of voting age bill
A bill to reduce the voting age in Scotland to 16 has unanimously passed through stage one proceedings in the Scottish Parliament.
There was cross-party support for the reduction of voting age bill during a debate on Thursday, meaning it is on course to be passed in time for next year’s Scottish Parliament election.
Bruce Crawford, convenor of the devolution (further powers) committee, which took evidence on the bill, said: "I am delighted to say that all five of the political parties on the committee unanimously support the general principles of the bill.
"I can confirm that in evidence provided to the committee we received no substantive objections to the main objectives of the bill."
The bill to lower the voting age to 16 for Scottish Parliament and local government elections is a result of the success of lowering the voting age during the referendum – where over 100,000 16 and 17 year olds registered to take part.
As well as allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote the bill allows for modifications to electoral registration forms to capture the details of all those eligible to register, makes provision for how young people in particular situations are dealt with within existing electoral registration systems and sets out specific protections to be placed on any data collected on electors aged under 16.
Louise Cameron MSYP, chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, which has been campaigning for votes at 16 since its inception in 1999, welcomed the latest stage of proceedings.
She said: “The young people of Scotland proved that they take their right to vote very seriously, and they have collectively crushed all of the myths and arguments against a lowered voting age.
“As a result of this bill, more young people will get involved in the political system, and from an earlier age.
"Votes at 16 will help us truly harness young people’s enthusiasm for politics. As a nation, we can strive to create a voter generation because we will be able to engage people younger, and keep them engaged throughout their lives, we hope, in the political system.”
Holyrood was given the power to lower the voting age to 16 at Scottish Parliament and local government elections on 20 March this year.
The Scottish Government brought forward the bill less than two weeks later, on 2 April.
