For the first time, 16 and 17 year olds may vote in the upcoming Senedd Election, meaning that those in the newly voting age group have a direct influence over matters such as: education, healthcare, housing, the environment, our economy, and policy surrounding promotion of the Welsh language.
At the time, 41 members of the assembly (as they were still called at the time) voted in favour of the bill; a narrow margin of success, only just passing the required 40 votes needed. The Labour Party and Plaid Cymru largely backed the bill, with Conservative and Brexit Party members in opposition, following after Scotland, where the vote was given to 16 year olds back in 2013.
At the same time, changes were implemented to rename the Welsh Assembly into Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament, with Assembly Members since becoming known as Members of the Senedd. This followed calls for an acknowledgement of the influence that the Welsh Government has increasingly played in law making over the past decade.
This is the first Senedd Election since the legislation allowing around 70,000 teenagers to have their voices heard was made into law in November of 2019.
The legislation allows teenagers the right to vote in Senedd Elections, but excludes them from participating in UK Parliamentary elections, local council elections, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections, which still require a minimum voting age of 18 years.
However, those who have registered to vote in the Senedd Elections will be able to vote in other kinds of election as soon as they become eligible through age.
Despite the legislation passing, opinions have been mixed over how impactful or appropriate it is to have given 16 and 17 year olds the vote in Senedd Elections, with many believing that those in that age group lack the necessary maturity and interest to make their own informed decisions, being easily led by propaganda and popular opinion. But others have been staunchly in favour of the measure, with one anonymous resident of Llanelli telling us:
“It’s only fair. If you are in favour of and think it’s reasonable for people that age to go to work and earn their own money, then it’s only fair that they should have a say in policy that affects their lives.”
Opinions are less divided in the newly voting age group itself, however, with most seeming to be in favour, and displaying a high level of engagement with the democratic process.
Lawrence Williams, a 17 year old resident of Burry Port, said:
“Can’t wait to vote. Me and my friends didn’t want to leave the EU and if given the chance we’d have voted to stay. So, it’s brilliant that we have the opportunity to vote in the Senedd elections. We need to protect our culture and people here in Wales from the Westminster misrule, so it’s Plaid and an independent Wales for me!”
At the time the bill passed, most could not have foreseen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting level of scrutiny over just how the Senedd’s influence can directly affect our everyday lives, and engagement with this Senedd Election is expected to be high, particularly with the younger age bracket who have been so profoundly affected by it, whether for good or ill.
