Welcome to today's Citizenship lesson.

My name is Ms. Wyatt, and I'm so glad that you could be here with me.

Welcome to today's lesson on Should the Voting Age Be Reformed, from the unit How Can Young People Play an Active Role in Democracy? By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to explain what is meant by voting reform and identify arguments for and against whether the voting age should be 16 across the UK or not.

We'll be using the following keywords throughout today's lesson.

And our keywords are voting reform, democracy, and franchise.

Voting reform is the process by which the voting laws are modified and shaped over time to better reflect the social values that society feels are important.

Democracy is a system of government in which citizens vote in regular, fair elections for representatives who then make laws and decisions on their behalf.

And franchise is the right to vote in public elections.

Some of these words may be new to you today, but please don't worry as I am here to guide you.

Our lesson on should the voting age be reformed is broken up into two parts today, with the first part exploring what is voting reform and then looking at should the voting age be equal across the UK.

When you're ready, let's begin today's lesson.

Reform in all areas of the law involves many institutions and can happen for a variety of reasons.

The institutions involved in reform are things like Parliament, so government departments, the Judiciary, which are made up of judges, the Law Commission, and pressure groups, which are informed by public opinion.

Now, conditions that give rise to reform are things like changing issues or views in society, changing composition of society, failure of an existing law, or new technology.

Voting reform has taken place throughout history many times.

For example, in the past, only men who owned land could vote in the UK.

But now, all British citizens aged 18 or over have the franchise.

There are many times in history when voting reform has been an important part of shaping society.

For example, it was not until the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 was passed that universal suffrage took place.

So we can see on this picture here, these are some suffragettes demonstrating for the right to vote before 1928.

So you might have heard about the suffragettes within school.

You might have read about them.

So as I've said, it wasn't until 1928 and the Equal Franchise Act where universal suffrage took place, which meant all British citizens could have the vote.

Both suffrage and franchise describe who has the right to vote in public elections, which is a key part of democracy in the UK.

However, there is a slight difference in how the terms are often used.

Suffrage is a more general or historical term.

You'll often hear it in phrases like women's suffrage.

Franchise is used in more legal or formal context today, like extending the franchise to 16 year olds.

For example, the similarity between suffrage and franchise can be seen in these statements.

If someone has suffrage, they can vote.

If someone has the franchise, they can vote.

So you can see that these words are very similar.

So let's have a look at a brief history of voting reforms. We're gonna start in 1215.

So this is when the Magna Carta was signed and limited the powers of the King.

So this was a document signed by King John of England in 1215 that established the principle that even the king was subject to the law and wasn't above it.

In 1430, votes for property and land owners were had.

So no one else apart from property and land owners could vote.

In 1832, the Great Reform Act votes for the middle classes.

So now there's voting if you are middle class.

In 1837, working men could vote.

In 1918, men over 21 and women over 30 could vote.

In 1928, all adults over 21 can vote, and this is known as universal suffrage.

And then in 1969, the voting age lowered from 21 to 18.

So here's just a very brief history of what has happened within reform so far.

There has been voting reform more recently in both Scotland and Wales.

For example, Scotland lowered the voting age to 16 for Scottish Parliament elections in 2015.

The voting age was lowered to 16 for the Senedd in 2020, which is the Welsh Parliament.

These voting reforms reflect changing ideas about who should have the franchise.

Voting reforms also show how democracy and society evolve over time.

In 2015, the Scottish Parliament passed the Scottish Elections, which was the reduction of Voting Age Act.

This act lowered the voting age from 18 to 16 for Scottish Parliament and local council elections.

This meant that 16 and 17 year olds were able to vote for the first time in the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections.

The decision followed the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014, where young people aged 16 and over were given the franchise and had a very high turnout.

The Scottish Elections and the Reduction of the Voting Age Act only applies to elections devolved to Scotland.

So 16 and 17 year olds still cannot vote in UK general elections.

The Act received Royal Assent on August 4th, 2015 and was therefore made law.

Scottish Parliament reformed this Act in 2020 to update information like the Electoral Commissioner's role and the Local Government Boundary Commission, which had come into effect after the original act was passed.

Laws are reformed or amended regularly for many reasons, including to match new legislation, roles, societal expectations, et cetera.

So let's list five facts about voting reform in Scotland.

So when you're ready, pause the video and have a go at this task.

Okay, time for our answers.

So have we given five facts about voting reform in Scotland? So we said Scottish Elections, the Reduction of Voting Age Act, was passed in 2015.

Scottish Parliament reduced the voting age from 18 to 16.

16 year olds and over were given franchise in the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014, and the turnout was a success.

The Act only applies to elections devolved to Scotland.

16 and 17 year olds still cannot vote in UK general elections.

And the Act was reformed in 2020 to include new roles.

So I wonder if you got any of the same five facts as we did.

In 2020, Wales passed voting reform in the Senedd and Elections, Wales, Act, which lowered the voting age from 18 to 16 for Senedd elections and local elections in Wales.

This was the biggest extension of the franchise in Wales since 1969.

The voting reform followed advice from an independent Expert Panel on Assembly Electoral Reform and a public consultation, where 59% of people supported reducing the voting age.

This change meant that 16 and 17 year olds in Wales are now able to vote for some of the people who make decisions that affect their daily lives.

These decisions include laws on education, health, and transport.

However, like in Scotland, 16 and 17 year olds in Wales still cannot vote in UK general elections or national referendums. These are controlled by the UK government and can only be voted in by people aged 18 or over as of May, 2025.

England and Northern Ireland have not reformed the voting age and it remains at 18.

England have still introduced some voting reform since 1969.

For example, elections for the first six metro mayors took place in 2017.

As of April, 2025, there are 12 metro mayors, including the Mayor of London.

And in 2020, the Greater London Authority was formed.

Northern Ireland have also introduced their own voting reforms. For example, the Belfast Agreement, or Good Friday, was backed by a referendum in 1998 and laid the groundwork for devolution in Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Act of 1998 created the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, giving the region its own devolved powers.

The Labour manifesto in July, 2024 General Election included voting reform.

The Labour Party's manifesto included a commitment to lower the voting age to 16 for all elections across the UK.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed this pledge in April, 2025, emphasising that the reform would definitely happen.

This change would extend the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds, marking the most significant shift in the UK electorate since 1969.

We need to read the statements below and decide if they are true or false.

When we have decided if they're true or false, we need to tick the correct box.

So when you're ready to start, pause the video and have a go.

Okay, it is time for our answers.

So the first statement said you can vote in Northern Ireland at 16 or over.

Is this true or false? It's false.

England reformed the voting age in 2000.

That is also false.

The next statement, you can vote in some elections in Wales at 16, is true.

You can.

And then the election of metro mayors as a form of voting reform is also true.

So well done if we got the statements in the correct boxes.

For this task, we need to write a paragraph for the first page of an information leaflet that can be given out to your peers about voting reform.

Now it needs to include the definition of what voting reform is, one example from Wales and one example from Scotland showing the recent voting reform, and try to include three keywords, such as voting reform, democracy, and franchise.

Now these keywords should come to you when you start to talk about what voting reform is.

So when you're ready, pause the video and have a good go at this task.

Okay, your paragraph might include some of the following.

So we said voting reform is the process by which the voting laws are modified and shaped over time to better reflect the social values that society feels are important.

One important part of voting reform is extending the franchise, which means giving more people the legal right to vote.

In the UK, there have been two major examples of recent voting reform involving young people.

In Scotland, the Scottish Elections, or Reduction of the Voting Age, Act 2015 gave 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote in Scottish Parliament and local Elections.

In Wales, the Senedd and Elections Act 2020 introduced a similar reform.

It allowed over 16s to vote in Senedd elections for the first time following a public consultation where 59% of people supported the idea.

These examples show how voting reform helps strengthen our democracy by giving young people a say in their future.

So hopefully we managed to give a definition of voting reform and we were able to give an example from Scotland and Wales.

We have now looked at what is voting reform, and we're going to look at, now, should the voting age be 16 across the UK.

So deciding who gets the franchise is a major part of how a democracy works.

This, on the screen, is an example of a ballot paper for UK general elections.

So you can see what the election is for.

So it says election of the Member of Parliament for whatever constituency it is.

And then you have to vote for one candidate only, and you have to put a cross in the box next to your choice.

Now, there has been an ongoing debate about whether the voting age should be lowered from 18 to 16 or kept how it is across the United Kingdom, and this is a key issue in discussions about voting reform.

It's important because giving people the franchise means giving them power, and changing the age can affect how fairly and equally that power is shared.

Now, understanding both sides of the argument helps us think about what kind of democracy we want to live in.

So one of the strongest arguments in favour of voting reform is that 16 year olds already take on many adult responsibilities, so they should also be trusted with the franchise.

For example, at 16, you can leave school, work full-time, join the armed forces, and even pay taxes.

Supporters say that if young people are affected by political decisions, such as minimum wage laws, education policy, or climate change action, they deserve a voice in choosing who makes those decisions.

In this way, extending the franchise to 16 year olds could strengthen democracy by making it more representative of the whole population.

General elections are usually held every five years.

Therefore, if a person is 17 and 11 months in election, they will not actually be able to vote until their early 20s.

Although it might be legal to vote in Scotland and Wales in local elections at 16 years old, they might actually have to wait to cast their own vote until they are almost 21 years old on general elections.

Some people believe that 16 year olds do not have enough political literacy to vote.

However, since 16 year olds are still in education, they can be taught about voting in the political system in citizenship lessons, helping them make informed decisions.

In Scotland, young people have a high turnout in elections, so they actually get involved.

For example, an ICM survey showed that in the Scottish Independence Referendum, 75% of 16 and 17 year olds voted compared with 54% of 18 to 24 year olds and 72 of 25 to 35 year olds.

Giving people the franchise early could help create a lifelong habit of taking part in democracy and using the vote.

However, some people might argue that we will not be able to see whether this is a trend in the future until we have had more elections where 16 and 17 year olds are given the opportunity to vote.

Many people are concerned different voting ages across the UK create confusion and inequality in our democracy, so would prefer a more equal voting system.

For example, 16 year olds can vote in Scottish Parliament and Senedd elections but not in general elections controlled by the UK government.

This means the franchise is not consistent across the country, which some people feel is unfair.

It could also reduce trust in the voting system if people feel it is not the same for everyone.

So true or false, the franchise is consistent across the United Kingdom.

Have a think about this question and then make a decision.

Hopefully we said that this is false.

It's false because it isn't consistent.

Scotland and Wales allows 16 year olds the right to vote and Northern Ireland and England do not.

However, the right to this franchise is the same age for UK Parliament general elections.

So it's not consistent.

However, some people argue that 16 year olds are not ready for the responsibility of voting and that voting reform should not lower the age.

Although 16 year olds can do some adult things, they are still legally children in many ways.

For example, they can't buy alcohol or serve on a jury.

Critics say they may be more influenced by parents to make fully independent political decisions.

And some adults would still prefer the voting age to remain at 18.

Another argument against reforming the voting age is the view that most 16 year olds have not yet had enough life experience.

For example, most have not paid bills, worked full-time, or lived independently to fully understand the long-term consequences of political decisions.

They say voting should be reserved for adults who have faced more of the responsibilities that government policies affect.

Another argument is that if 16 and 17 year olds are allowed to vote but do not turn out in large numbers, it could weaken their political influence rather than strengthen it.

Some people worry that young people are more likely to show voter apathy when they lose interest in participating in the democratic process.

Critics worry that low youth turnout could lead politicians to ignore their views entirely, making the reform less effective in practise.

So what phrase best describes voter apathy? Is it a, I really enjoy voting in all elections, b, I want to elect the best representative, c, I have voting and will go and spoil my vote, or d, I'm not interested in voting at all.

Which one best describes it? Pause the video and make your decision.

Okay, time for our answers.

Hopefully we've all said d.

Voter apathy is when you're not interested in voting at all.

You have the right to vote, but you're not gonna use it.

Well done if we got that right.

Aisha says, "I believe that voting reform should give 16 year olds the franchise because they already have many responsibilities and can be taught about voting in school.

This would make our democracy stronger and more inclusive.

For example, in Wales and Scotland, 16 year olds are allowed already to vote in devolved elections and have shown they are engaged in the process.

If they are trusted to pay tax or join the military, they should also be trusted to vote.

What do you think, Jacob?" Jacobs says, "I disagree, Aisha.

Most teenagers are still developing their understanding of the world and can be easily influenced by parents, teachers, or social media.

While it is true they have some responsibilities, they are still legally limited in many ways, like buying alcohol.

Democracy relies on informed and independent decision-making, and some argue that most 16 year olds have had not had enough life experience to fully understand complex political issues.

I think voting reform will be damaging to democracy." So I wonder what you think.

Do you side with Aisha or Jacob more? Let's sort the arguments for and against whether voting reform should change the legal age of the franchise to 16 across the UK.

So we have four arguments, and we need to decide whether they are for voting reform or against.

Pause the video and sort these arguments one to four into the correct heading.

Okay, so it should look like this.

We should have for, well, political literacy is taught in citizenship lessons, so you can learn it throughout then.

And three, it can lead to a habit of voting for life, a really good habit of using your vote.

But against, legally under 18s are not adults yet.

And number four, most under 18s have not had enough life experience to be able to use their vote appropriately.

So if we got these into the correct headings, well done us.

For this task, I would like us to write a short speech giving your opinion on whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 across the UK or not.

So this is really exciting.

You now got the chance to be able to give your opinion on this big debate.

So you need to include whether you agree or disagree very clearly.

You need to include one argument for and one argument against 'cause it's important to consider both sides.

And use the keywords, so voting reform, franchise, and democracy.

When you're ready, pause the video and enjoy this task.

Okay, so your speech might look something like this.

So if you're on this side, you would've said, I believe the UK should introduce voting reform and lower the voting age to 16 in all public elections.

Giving 16 year olds the franchise would make our democracy more inclusive and help young people get involved in decisions that affect their future.

Some people argue that 16 year olds are too young and easily influenced, but with proper political literacy education, they're more than capable of voting responsibly.

If they can pay taxes and join the military, they should also have a voice in who runs the country.

So maybe you've included some of the same arguments as this speech.

Or you might have said some of the following in this speech if you're not too sure on lowering the voting age.

So I believe we should not lower the voting age to 16 across the UK because I do not think most 16 year olds are ready for that level of responsibility.

While voting reform aims to improve democracy, giving the franchise to people who are still legally children could weaken the system.

I think some young people might just follow what their parents or social media influencers say rather than thinking for themselves.

I think it's better to wait until you're 18 years old, when people are more independent, have more life experience, and are prepared to vote with confidence.

So I wonder which opinion you said.

We have now come to the end of our lesson on should the voting age be reformed, and I'm going to summarise it into a few points for us.

Voting reform is the process of changing voting laws, such as who can vote or how elections are run, to improve fairness and equality in a democracy.

In Scotland, the voting age was lowered to 16 in 2015 for Scottish Parliament and local elections through the Scottish Elections, Reduction of Voting Age, Act.

In Wales, the Senedd and Elections, Wales, Act 2020 gave 16 and 17 year olds the franchise for Senedd and the local elections.

Arguments for voting reform to lower the voting age includes having legal responsibilities at 16, being educated in political literacy at school, and increasing long-term voter turnout.

Arguments against include lack of life experience, being easily influenced, and concerns about unequal voting rights across the UK.

I hope you've enjoyed this lesson and have taken a lot out of it about whether the voting age should be reformed.

Maybe we've come to our own opinions on it also.

Thank you for your efforts in today's lesson.

I hope to see you in the next one.