Agenda item

Voting Age

It was moved by Councillor Geoff Smith, seconded by Councillor Mike Drabble, that this Council:-

(a)       welcomes the successful participation of 16-17 year olds in the referendum on Scottish Independence, in which over 109,000 16-17 year olds registered to vote;

(b)       notes that currently 16 and 17 year olds are eligible for service in our armed forces, eligible for tax credits and welfare, and eligible to pay income tax and national insurance, yet are barred from electing their representatives;

(c)        notes that 16 year olds are already able to vote in the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, as well vote at many levels of government in other countries such as Austria, Germany and Norway;

(d)       notes that a survey by the Electoral Commission found 74% of respondents to be in favour of lowering the age at which the franchise is awarded at age 16;

(e)       believes that votes at 16 will make politics more democratically accountable and will empower a voiceless section of our society;

(f)        welcomes the decision of the Sheffield Youth Cabinet to make Votes at 16 in UK parliamentary and local elections a priority for 2015;

(g)       welcomes the Labour Party’s pledge to include votes at 16 in its 2015 manifesto; and

(h)       directs that a copy of this Motion be forwarded to the Sheffield Youth Cabinet, Sheffield Youth Council and Sheffield Members of the Youth Parliament.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Colin Ross, seconded by Councillor Andrew Sangar, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the insertion after the word “welcomes” in paragraph (g) of the words “the longstanding Liberal Democrat commitment to”.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived. 

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried, as follows:-

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       welcomes the successful participation of 16-17 year olds in the referendum on Scottish Independence, in which over 109,000 16-17 year olds registered to vote;

(b)       notes that currently 16 and 17 year olds are eligible for service in our armed forces, eligible for tax credits and welfare, and eligible to pay income tax and national insurance, yet are barred from electing their representatives;

(c)        notes that 16 year olds are already able to vote in the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, as well vote at many levels of government in other countries such as Austria, Germany and Norway;

(d)       notes that a survey by the Electoral Commission found 74% of respondents to be in favour of lowering the age at which the franchise is awarded at age 16;

(e)       believes that votes at 16 will make politics more democratically accountable and will empower a voiceless section of our society;

(f)        welcomes the decision of the Sheffield Youth Cabinet to make Votes at 16 in UK parliamentary and local elections a priority for 2015;

(g)       welcomes the Labour Party’s pledge to include votes at 16 in its 2015 manifesto; and

(h)       directs that a copy of this Motion be forwarded to the Sheffield Youth Cabinet, Sheffield Youth Council and Sheffield Members of the Youth Parliament.