- October 31, 2017
- Posted by: Mick Antoniw AM
- Category: Featured, Latest News
Students from Bryncelynnog and Y Pant schools debated the proposal to extend voting to 16 and 17 year olds with Pontypridd Assembly Member Mick Antoniw this week.
The sessions were organised to allow local students an opportunity to contribute to the Welsh Government’s consultation on reducing the voting age to 16 for Assembly and Local Authority elections in Wales. During the sessions students were divided into groups and asked to argue either ‘for’ or ‘against’ reducing the voting age to 16. The students views are included in Mick Antoniw’s formal submission to the Welsh Government’s consultation, which you can view and download here:
Commenting after the sessions Mick Antoniw said:
“I was extremely impressed with the enthusiastic and informed way the students at both schools engaged in the process. Clearly, they had given this important issue thought and they expressed their views great clarity and with real conviction In fact, they raised a number of issues that I hadn’t previously considered, which underlines the importance of hearing from those who would be directly impacted by the proposed change.”
“Whilst the Welsh Labour Government supports voting at 16 it is important that the voices of younger people are heard before a final decision is taken. However, I am a strong supporter of votes at 16 and was therefore encouraged that this was the overwhelming majority view of the students who took part.”