Lowering the voting age is important, youth says

Matthew says he would relish the chance to vote this year's general election

Some political parties are saying the coming general election should be the last where 16 and 17-year-olds are not eligible to vote.

Currently the youngest someone can vote in a general election is 18, but 16 and 17-year-olds are already able to vote in Welsh elections to the Senedd and for Welsh councils.

Matthew, 16, from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, said he would relish the chance to participate in the vote in July.

"Everyone should have equal right'," he said.

"I genuinely think it's very important because we are the young society," he added.

"I don't want to sound rude, but people who are voting are really old and it's not going to affect them as much as us."

Summer, 16, from Grangetown in Cardiff also said she believes that people her age should be allowed to vote, but had some concerns.

Summer from Grangetown, Cardiff, says there is "good and bad" things about lowering the voting age

"I think it can be very good and very bad," she said, explaining that "a lot of people my age don’t understand politics".

"But I think it'll be very good because of the people that do deserve the right to vote."

Summer said she is interested in election issues, including the health service and housing.

"We’re watching everyone choose stuff for us when we should be saying, 'I want this to happen'."

If the voting age is lowered to 16, Summer said she believes there should be more education about the issues.

"We’re not taught politics in school and we don’t understand what’s going on," she said.

"No 16 year olds watch parliament, we get it all from social media.

"I've had to search out people explaining it because it's easier for me to understand."

Another 16-year-old, William from Caerphilly, agreed that most of the information he gets about the election comes from online.

William says he would like to vote because young people are part of the future

"Stuff does come up on social media," he said.

"I don’t know every part of it, but I do see the social media and we do learn a lot through it."

He would also like to be able to take part in the election.

"It would be good because we are part of the upcoming future.

"Allowing us to vote would have a big part in the future for us, and we do matter."

Maxwell, 16, from Caerphilly, would also like a change in the voting age, but admitted he would need to talk to his parents about the issues.