Group 2: Extension of right to vote to persons aged 16 and 17, and associated electoral registration (Amendments 102, 3, 4, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 86, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 43, 125, 126, 101, 100)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:50 pm on 13 November 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Darren Millar Darren Millar Conservative 4:50, 13 November 2019

The number participating may well increase, but in terms of the percentage of overall voters entitled to vote, I would expect the addition of 16 and 17-year-olds in terms of extending the franchise to actually result in a lower turnout overall, which I think is something that is bad for democracy, actually. And I have to say, I haven't seen any evidence of 16 and 17-year-olds clamouring to ask me, as the elected politician in my own constituency, to change the law to entitle them to have an opportunity to vote.