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It's time to lower voting age to 16



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Published Date: 05 October 2008
AMID the recent furore over the Austrian elections and the success of the two far right parties, the fact that the voting age was lowered to 16 for these elections has been largely forgotten.
In an attempt to balance out the country's ageing constituencies as a result of low birth rates, Austria has become the first European Union country to lower the voting age in national elections to 16. Last year, the number of Austrians aged 65 and older exceeded the population aged 15 and under. And observing this demographic trend, the Austrian parliament passed a law in 2007 lowering the age limit from 18 to 16, representing about 200,000 of the 6.3 million-strong electorate.

The recent poll was the first electoral test of the new law, and given the fact that young people in Austria are allowed to vote from age 16, it seems nonsensical that somehow those of the same age in the UK should not be allowed such a right.

Alex Orr, Edinburgh





The full article contains 177 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 04 October 2008 8:42 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
 
1

nabodican,

Rural Scotland 05/10/2008 06:27:13
Alex Orr has to be kidding.
From what I can see of todays youth, 18 is too young to vote. I would raise the voting age to 21.
2

rpb,

05/10/2008 09:57:29
Austria? The country that once again voted in the far right just recently. Obviously the younger age group have forgotten the last far right winger from their country that was allowed to rule.
3

tartan army 2222,

05/10/2008 10:05:41
It's a great idea and I would love to see it happen. If we get 16 year olds involved at school then I believe their interest will carry on until adulthood. At present there is a gap between leaving school and voting.

It won't happen though because Broon knows that 16-18 year olds are generally pro-SNP (or at the least not influenced by the old 'my parents voted Labour so ...') and hence a major reason why he would not pass over the right to control elections to the Scottish Parliament.
4

WJohn,

West Lothian 05/10/2008 12:37:11
Get married at 16, forced to stay on at school until age 18 and celebrate with an alcoholic drink when you reach 21. Eh?

 

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