16 year olds given right to vote
Discussion
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/16-year-olds-to...
16 year olds will be able to vote at the next General Election.
What will this mean for how the next election will be fought by political parties?
According to google, approx 2.1% of the UK population is currently 16-17 years old. Assuming the numbers stay similar at the next G.E. thats a lot of extra voters, who could sway elections.
16 year olds will be able to vote at the next General Election.
What will this mean for how the next election will be fought by political parties?
According to google, approx 2.1% of the UK population is currently 16-17 years old. Assuming the numbers stay similar at the next G.E. thats a lot of extra voters, who could sway elections.
A lot of extra voters that are more likely to vote for Labour than right-of-centre parties.
It's not been that long since we've mandated that children must stay in some form of education until 18 (presumably to better equip them for the world as an adult) yet now we are saying they are well equipped to vote?
Let's have a look at the countries we are joining in allowing 16 years olds to vote: Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Cuba, Brazil, and Austria. And 17 year olds can vote in Sudan, South Sudan, North Korea, Indonesia, Greece, and East Timor.
There is a reason the majority of the world, and nearly all of the western world, has a minimum voting age of 18.
Cretins.
It's not been that long since we've mandated that children must stay in some form of education until 18 (presumably to better equip them for the world as an adult) yet now we are saying they are well equipped to vote?
Let's have a look at the countries we are joining in allowing 16 years olds to vote: Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Cuba, Brazil, and Austria. And 17 year olds can vote in Sudan, South Sudan, North Korea, Indonesia, Greece, and East Timor.
There is a reason the majority of the world, and nearly all of the western world, has a minimum voting age of 18.
Cretins.
Tricky one really.
My initial reaction is that it's a bad idea, I don't think kids that age are properly developed enough to make an informed decision, but on the other side of the coin how many adults are f
king morons anyway who haven't a clue.
In reality I would expect only a small percentage would actually bother to vote. Generally I suspect it would just amplify the voting results depending on the region and political climate at the time as you'll get a lot who are heavily influenced by parents/family. Although I suspect the Green's will get a boost across the country.
My initial reaction is that it's a bad idea, I don't think kids that age are properly developed enough to make an informed decision, but on the other side of the coin how many adults are f
king morons anyway who haven't a clue.In reality I would expect only a small percentage would actually bother to vote. Generally I suspect it would just amplify the voting results depending on the region and political climate at the time as you'll get a lot who are heavily influenced by parents/family. Although I suspect the Green's will get a boost across the country.
Up here for Scottish Elections it’s been 16 for quite a while, & nationalists have used this point of difference as “westmonster “ not valuing 16yr olds….
Not sure they still do now money’s disappearing , but the SNP certainly used to give 16yr olds Birthday Cards when they came of age in an attempt to get them on side
Not sure they still do now money’s disappearing , but the SNP certainly used to give 16yr olds Birthday Cards when they came of age in an attempt to get them on side
Master Bean said:
I'm 33 and have always voted. My two closest friends are the same age and have never voted. They have no interest in doing so. Most young people don't really care.
I've got a feeling at the next G.E, as this is all so new to them - these young people will vote for their "sts and giggles" equivalent, and whatever their TikTok version is where they can put social media posts up asking if you voted. Subsequent elections might have the same apathy we have today though.My ideology hasn't changed much in the 42 years since I was 16.
There's alot of stupid and or nieve, under researched adults who probably shouldn't be trusted with a vote.
Really though its a pointless change which may or may not have an impact (unlikely to)
It might get some adults to get off their arses and vote.
There's alot of stupid and or nieve, under researched adults who probably shouldn't be trusted with a vote.
Really though its a pointless change which may or may not have an impact (unlikely to)
It might get some adults to get off their arses and vote.
Master Bean said:
TwistingMyMelon said:
Great idea
The amount of bum massargeing pensioners get , as they are the only buggers that vote is painful.
Yes younger people can be idealist , but it means parties will have to start enticeing them and offering policies for them more.
Massaging. The amount of bum massargeing pensioners get , as they are the only buggers that vote is painful.
Yes younger people can be idealist , but it means parties will have to start enticeing them and offering policies for them more.
Pit Pony said:
My ideology hasn't changed much in the 42 years since I was 16.
There's alot of stupid and or nieve, under researched adults who probably shouldn't be trusted with a vote.
Really though its a pointless change which may or may not have an impact (unlikely to)
It might get some adults to get off their arses and vote.
Can we have a referendum on who gets to vote? I'd like for "stupid people" to be an option not to be given the right to vote.There's alot of stupid and or nieve, under researched adults who probably shouldn't be trusted with a vote.
Really though its a pointless change which may or may not have an impact (unlikely to)
It might get some adults to get off their arses and vote.
Chris Peacock said:
I've got a few nieces and nephews around that age, they couldn't care any less about politics.
Wait until their Roblox/TikTok/Whatsapp groups start talking about how cool voting is, and "who you gonna vote for?" - that might only last for one election, but don't underestimate how powerful that is right now.s1962a said:
Chris Peacock said:
I've got a few nieces and nephews around that age, they couldn't care any less about politics.
Wait until their Roblox/TikTok/Whatsapp groups start talking about how cool voting is, and "who you gonna vote for?" - that might only last for one election, but don't underestimate how powerful that is right now.Good, we could do with a few more idealistic voters. The current political parties are well aware of voter stagnation ("oh they're all the same", "nothing different between them") and either take advantage of it or are stymied by it to do anything new, daring or different. Maybe having to court youngsters who haven't yet been destroyed by apathy might lead to some fresh thinking.
s1962a said:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/16-year-olds-to...
16 year olds will be able to vote at the next General Election.
What will this mean for how the next election will be fought by political parties?
According to google, approx 2.1% of the UK population is currently 16-17 years old. Assuming the numbers stay similar at the next G.E. thats a lot of extra voters, who could sway elections.
So they can't buy a lottery ticket, take photos of their tits or drink, but they can choose a government. 16 year olds will be able to vote at the next General Election.
What will this mean for how the next election will be fought by political parties?
According to google, approx 2.1% of the UK population is currently 16-17 years old. Assuming the numbers stay similar at the next G.E. thats a lot of extra voters, who could sway elections.
I'm not opposed to picking 16 as the age you become a responsible adult but it should apply to *everything*.
Tankrizzo said:
Can't drink or drive or buy fags but can have a say in how the country is run. Seems....unusual.
Enormous list of things that 16 year old aren't trusted to have agency over or have to be protected from, but fine to give them a vote?If you're going to have 18 as the age of majority it makes it difficult to sincerely argue this isn't just gerrymandering.
Next up, removing the requirement to be either a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.
Then removing all voter registration requirements.
s1962a said:
Wait until their Roblox/TikTok/Whatsapp groups start talking about how cool voting is, and "who you gonna vote for?" - that might only last for one election, but don't underestimate how powerful that is right now.
yep - The challenge for the political parties is how talking to the Yoof works in practice. If Labour think that the tweets that SKS currently puts out are going to somehow magically get 16 year olds to come out and vote for them, they might be in for a bit of a shock, and getting some 25 y.o. staffer to put it all together (which is probably their current plan) won't work - They couldn't look more out of touch if they were trying to.... I can well see a world where the far-right-adjacent message resonates much better with your average 16 year old than the more socialist policies. Voting patterns at 16 are far more likely to be influenced by the Andrew Tate's of the world than anything the big parties put out on their socials.
As such, this could backfire massively for Big Ange and crew....I wonder if they have actually crunched the numbers behind it, or if they (much like everything else) believe that their farts somehow smell sweeter.....
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