02.03.15
Vote for 16-17 year olds in Scotland a step closer?
Scotland’s Devolution Committee has “unanimously” recommended that a draft Order to see the powers allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote in future Scottish elections should be transferred to the Scottish Parliament.
In November 2014, the Smith Commission called on the UK Parliament to devolve the relevant powers to the Scottish Parliament to decide whether to extend the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds in time for the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, and for all future elections to the Scottish Parliament and local authority elections in Scotland.
Since the publication of the Smith Commission’s report, the Scottish and UK governments agreed that the legislation to transfer powers to extend the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds should be brought forward before other areas recommended in the Smith Report.
The legislative mechanism to achieve this transfer of powers is via an Order made under sections 30 and 63 of the Scotland Act 1998.
Scotland’s Devolution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP said: “The overwhelming view was that it was only right that 16 and 17 year olds should be included in the franchise for future elections. So it is only right that the Scottish Government and UK Government have moved quickly to bring forward the legislation that enables the relevant transfer of powers to be in place in time for next year’s Holyrood elections.
“The Committee unanimously recommends that the Scottish Parliament give its approval to the relevant draft Order and enable all those involved in electoral administration to make the necessary arrangements ahead of the next elections to the Scottish Parliament.”
If, and when, 16 and 17 year olds are given the vote in Scotland, what will this mean for the rest of the UK? Surely it would only be fair to extend the franchise across the entirety of the country? However, that is a conversation and debate for another day.
Tell us what you think – have your say below or email [email protected]