General Election
Whilst the campaigns proceed I have, on more than one occasion, been asked by adults if young people are interested in the General Election. On the basis of my experience over the last couple of weeks I would say that the answer to that is yes they are.
Young people at the Funky Dragon Grand Council were engaged, commenting on the performances of the leaders in the televised debates. Other young people have spoken to me about the extent to which political parties have policies that appeal to young people.
And then today I took a telephone call from Nathan. Nathan is 16 years old and is interested in finding out what the political parties think about lowering the voting age to 16. “If the voting age was lowered they might think more about the issues that are important to young people” he explained. I agreed but said that some people took the view that young people are not interested in politics. “Yes we are” he replied “and what I want to do is ask the parties what they think about it – do you think they will listen to me Keith?”
I encouraged him to get involved. After all it would be a brave or perhaps foolish party who ignored the interest of young voters and those who will be eligible to vote in a couple of years time. For sometime I have heard expressions of exasperation at the disengagement of young people in politics. It would appear to me that this election has stimulated interest in young people.
Lowering the voting age? Answers on a postcard please. Whenever I have raised this before with young people I have heard arguments in favour and against. In the current climate those in favour seem to be in the majority.
What is clear is that it is great that young people like Nathan are taking such an active interest in politics and the policies that will shape their futures.
This entry was posted on Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 8:48 am and is filed under Election. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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May 4th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
I am definatly in agreement with Nathan, young people are interested in politics. The question is- is the Government interested in young people? Clearly not…at 16 years your allowed to join the army and get married (with consent) but your not allowed to vote for who rules our country? Somethings gone wrong some where.
May 6th, 2010 at 10:52 am
It’s really positive to see young people taking an interest in who leads the country and the possible impacts it may have on them. I often wonder how much children and young people have been asked to participate in political parties ideas for what services and legislation should be in place for children and young people. Most adults are quick to decide what they think young people should and shouldn’t be doing. I’m in favour of lowering the age to 16. Interest in politics is not about how old you are, its about how important you feel it is to speak up and vote for things that affect and impact on all of us. Nobody is forced to vote and it should be seen a a positive move to see young people being given the choice, as we all are, of whether they want to have a say in how the country is run.