Votes for 16 and 17 yr-olds

[Workingman]

An historical perspective, whilst interesting, is neither here nor there: the time is now!

Social networking was shown to have little effect at the last election, all it did was reaffirm 'group-think' in the same way as happens in clubs, pubs and the workplace.

Giving votes to 16 - 17 yr-olds has nothing to do with fairness, minority, majority, taxes, work or marriage. It is being discussed because most of the parties want to stay in the EU and they think that most young people want that as well.

It is a temporary insurance policy to fix the vote and although I intend to vote to stay in I want the result to be fair: either way.

[Suff]

Very English centric view of the thing WM. Social Networking is believed to have played a very large part in the near total wipeout of all other parties in Scotland at the last election.

Also it's quite possible that 16/17 year old's will be very susceptible to "no job" approaches re staying in the EU. That kind of FUD is very effective when you are talking to young impressionable people who have no idea how the job market works.

Yes I'd like it to be fair too. Because I'd like the result to really stick. But, to me, 16/17 year olds come way down the list of fairness in this contest. The huge amount of drivel and fearmongering which is going to on is going to be a much larger issue than allowing the young to vote..

[Workingman]

It is not English centric, Suff, more a general observation.

In the Scottish referendum the social media "noise" was dominated by the "Yes" campaign to the tune of 36.4% - 26% of the total conversations, yet it still lost.

In the General Election social media had something like 3% influence.

The fact is that English youth will carry the young vote through sheer force of numbers. Those parties wishing the UK to stay in the EU see the young as their allies, not because they know anything about the workings of the EU, but because of some romanticised vision. Young people, in general, see good weather, cheap booze, cheap holidays and fares, one coin, Ibiza - what is not to like?

Jobs? Pensions? A single European foreign policy? They can wait, the young just wanna have fun - to paraphrase Cyndi Lauper.

[manxie]

You lot are slow again hehehe and behind the times lol.

The Isle of Man gave the vote to over 16s a few years ago, just like the Isle of Man gave women the vote many years before the UK did.

And many are more youngsters are interested than was thought.

Manxie xx

[Suff]

It is not English centric, Suff, more a general observation.

Perhaps. But in the Scottish view it was very important and had a major impact on the election results. Witness the fact that my SIL was heavily engaged in the election and helped with the SNP victory overall. My SIL wouldn't have thought about doing anything with politics before social media.

She's been asked to stand as MSP in her local seat at the2016 election. Believe me when I say that this is a big change for her.

Whilst the youth may "just want to have fun", they cannot avoid the blaze of social media information in referendums, elections etc, because they swim in a sea of this information. It's like trying to choose which wave to avoid when swimming in the Ocean. They are open to it and just like advertising on the TV, they are influenced by it.

[Workingman]

I find myself in a rather odd situation.

I do want the UK to stay in the EU, but I do not want a new cohort of voters brought in specifically to get that result. That, to me, is what votes for 16 - 17 yr-olds is about.

If it was to be introduced as a permanent measure and outside the influence of a referendum or general election it would be a different thing. A proper debate about the pros and cons could take place and the whole of the electorate could be involved.

[Suff]

I find myself in a rather odd situation.

I do want the UK to stay in the EU, but I do not want a new cohort of voters brought in specifically to get that result. That, to me, is what votes for 16 - 17 yr-olds is about.

If it was to be introduced as a permanent measure and outside the influence of a referendum or general election it would be a different thing. A proper debate about the pros and cons could take place and the whole of the electorate could be involved.

No argument with you there. I just thought they might not get the result they thought they would. Much like Salmond thought the 16/17 age group would tip if for him and found it was pretty much the opposite, I think that in the case of the EU, it might backfire on Cameron too.

I too think that if you are going to give the 16/17 year old's a vote then it should be debated properly. BUT, again, the question of the Scottish status RE: the English status has to be answered too. You can't resolve one without addressing the imbalance in the other.