28-06-2015, 09:55 AM
Alan Jelfs Wrote:To Phil,
A voting age of 16 is all the rage at the moment.
(I don't recall many under-16s at last year's AGM).
No-one is stopping parents of junior chess players from joining Chess Scotland and exercising their votes.
As Ian mentioned, in regards to competitive junior swimming, it is the parents who are the members of the swimming clubs and they are unlikely themselves to be competitive swimmers (who seem to be 'past it' by their mid-20s).
Alan,
I agree that voting age of 16 is all the rage at the moment. But this is a reduction from 18 and is justified I believe as a means to more people involved in the political process.
Lack of turnout is not reason for abolishing the vote.
If I read the Google output correctly turnout in Westminster by-elections has fallen below 25%
Imagine the outcry if by elections were abolished because turnout is so low.
Someone is stopping parents joining up and voting - - -if they don't do so less than 14 days before the meeting. I still see no viable justification for that 14 day rule.