Promoting Voting Among Young People

Part of 3. Questions to the Senedd Commission – in the Senedd at 3:10 pm on 17 March 2021.

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Photo of Elin Jones Elin Jones Plaid Cymru 3:10, 17 March 2021

(Translated)

I would be delighted in seeing more schools in Wales taking and using the leadership, resources and advice provided by the children's commissioner to hold those electoral events, the mock elections for that age group who don't yet have the right to vote in Senedd elections, but will in our next set of Senedd elections, and even possibly in local council elections next year.

Participating in a mock election in Lampeter school in 1983 was my first experience of elections and electioneering, and I remember that well to this day. I very much hope that this experience provided by the children's commissioner and her office to young people in secondary schools will engender the interest of those young people to vote and to participate in our democratic life for years to come. So, thank you very much to the children's commissioner and her office and everyone working on this programme in schools in promoting our democracy and the engagement of young people in that democratic debate.