At the Electoral Reform Society we have long called for the right to vote to be extended to 16 and 17 year olds. Far too many people don’t vote, and research has shown that 16 and 17 are better ages to start if you want people to carry on voting as they get older.
But the right to vote isn’t enough on its own to get a higher turnout, so we were pleased to see today’s call by the Electoral Commission’s Chair for democratic education from age 11 to prepare young people for voting at 16. Robust democracy depends on early, informed participation.
Putting learning into action
We know that expanding the franchise works as 16 and 17 year olds can already vote in elections in Scotland and Wales. During the Scottish Independence referendum, the first time in the UK that 16 and 17 year olds could vote, 16 and 17 year olds had higher rates of turnout than 18 to 24 year-olds – with 75% voting and 97% saying they would vote in future elections. They accessed more information from a wider variety of sources than any other age group.
Research shows that first voting experiences shape lifelong habits: those who vote early remain more consistently engaged voters. Letting 16- and 17-year-olds vote today means future generations will carry forward the habit of participation.
A fair and impartial education
Citizenship education though can’t just be the mechanics of how the government works, it needs to be part of the national conversation. Civic education needs to be engaging and deal with real issues so it’s good to see the Chair of the Electoral Commission recognise the difficulties of this “I can see that quite a few political parties have concerns about partiality, so we’re spending a lot of time on how we make sure the material is really impartial” he said.
He also recognises that teachers often don’t want to get drawn into political debates, so providing material nationally would allow them to remain a neutral arbiter – and teachers could “blame [the Electoral Commission] if parents don’t always like it”
But this is a project that is worth the effort. The involvement of active, informed citizens is vital for solving problems we face in the future. Votes at 16 can be part of an overarching strategy in learning about politics and encouraging strong citizenship.
Evidence from Wales
Back in 2018, prior to the introduction of votes at 16 in Wales, the team at ERS Cymru worked with young people to co-produce recommendations to improve citizenship education in schools, which touched on many of the issues raised. ERS Cymru’s Our Voices Heard report details the findings, developed through conversations with hundreds of young people.
Through the course of their work across Wales, young people consistently told them they weren’t receiving sufficient citizenship education, but that they very much wanted to learn about the way the country worked.
Recognising many of the issues raised by the Electoral Commission’s chair, the young people we spoke to called for an independent ‘toolbox’ to help teachers deliver these sessions in an engaging and non-partisan way, the need for time to discuss and debate current affairs in the school day, closer contact between schools and elected politicians, an online resource to give better insight into the candidates standing and a national mock election, running at the same time as the real election.
Rather than being seen in isolation as a simple ‘win’ for young people (though it certainly is that too), extending the franchise should be a means by which we drive making better informed young citizens, who feel able to take an active, informed and critical part in public life as they age.
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