Modern Extension Of The Franchise Flashcards
Which groups are still excluded from voting?
- anyone under 18
- prisoners (although different in Scotland where in elections some can)
- people sectioned under the Mental Health Act
- peers currently serving in the HoL
- homeless people as they don’t have a permanent address.
What are the positives and negatives of 16 and 17 year olds being given the vote?
Positives- radicalism of the very young could balance out the many elderly voters;
the 18-24 age groups turnout is very low and it could cause an increase in it;
social media has caused more citizenship education.
Negatives- many issues are too complex for adolescents to understand; adolescents can be overly radical for the sake of it; this age bracket has a very low stake in society as they don’t pay tax.
What is a modern campaign to extend the franchise?
Votes At 16- a coalition of different unions and councils that believe the voting age should be lowered. It is comprised of mostly the British Youth Council which founded the movement in 2001, the National Union of Students and the Electoral Reform Society.
Which methods does this campaign use and how do they differ to those of the past?
- publishing info through it’s website.
- provides advice on how to lobby MPs, raise awareness and email Politicians.
- organised an initiative called ‘adopt a peer’ to encourage members of the campaign to contact and lobby specific MPs.
Where has Votes at 16 got to?
Scottish Elections Act 2015 lowered voting age to 16.
Wales adopted votes at 16 in 2018.
Lowering the voting age to 16 was part of the Liberal Democrat’s, SNP’s and the Green’s manifesto in 2019.
