Scottish Youth Charities Alliance calls for Lord Smith to recommend votes at 16
Youth groups across Scotland have united to demand 16 and 17 year olds are allowed to vote in all future elections.
The Scottish Youth Charities Alliance, which represents 1.1 million young people, is calling on Lord Smith to recommend a permanent change to the voting age as a key principle and a core value of the commission’s proposals.
The alliance members which include a range of charities including Aberlour, Young Scot and the Scottish Youth Parliament said the independence referendum, where over 100,000 16 and 17-year-olds registered to vote, is proof young people are engaged in politics.
It claimed young people, some of whom dedicated countless hours campaigning, were among the most informed, engaged and questioning voters, carrying out their own research and using multiple sources in order to come to their own personal decision.
Louise Macdonald, chief executive of Young Scot, said young people have put to bed the myth that they are not interested in the democratic process.
“The huge level of engagement in the independence referendum vindicates all those who have campaigned for the extension of the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds,” she said.
“The truth about Scotland’s young people is that they are switched on, engaged and passionate about the difference they can make to their local communities and to tackling local and national issues.
“We know that young people are doing amazing things to make their local communities a better place to grow up every single day. We look forward to continuing to work with them to support them to become active local, national and global citizens, whose contributions are valued and acted upon, and where young people – as shown throughout the debate – are leading the future of Scotland right now.”
The Scottish Youth Charities Alliance is looking for other third sector organisation to sign up and show support for the Votes at 16 campaign. To do so contact David McNeill, entitlements and rewards director at Young Scot on [email protected] or call 0131 313 2488.
