This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-50419406
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Votes at 16: Major electoral changes planned for Wales | Votes at 16: Major electoral changes planned for Wales |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Sixteen and 17-year-olds look set to vote in council elections as part of the biggest changes to Wales' voting system in 50 years. | Sixteen and 17-year-olds look set to vote in council elections as part of the biggest changes to Wales' voting system in 50 years. |
| Proposed new legislation, to be published on Monday, would also allow resident foreign nationals to vote. | |
| And there are plans to give prisoners serving sentences of less than four years votes in local elections. | |
| Local Government Minister Julie James said the legislation was about "reinvigorating local democracy". | Local Government Minister Julie James said the legislation was about "reinvigorating local democracy". |
| The voting age was lowered across the UK from 21 to 18 in 1969. | |
| In Scotland, 16 and 17-year-olds are already able to vote in local and Scottish elections, and had the right to vote in the 2014 referendum on independence. | |
| It is estimated that lowering the voting age to 16 would add around 75,000 people to Wales' electoral roll. | |
| Extending it to all resident foreign nationals would add some 33,000 at the next local elections in May 2022, based on 2018 Office for National Statistics data. | Extending it to all resident foreign nationals would add some 33,000 at the next local elections in May 2022, based on 2018 Office for National Statistics data. |
| Around 1,900 prisoners would also gain the vote, in line with the recommendations of the Welsh assembly's equality committee. | |
| The assembly also intends lowering the voting age for its own elections, under separate legislation, in time for the next Senedd poll in 2021. | |
| The Welsh Government's wide-ranging plans for the 22 local authorities include: | The Welsh Government's wide-ranging plans for the 22 local authorities include: |
| Ms James said Welsh ministers "believe in strong local government" and "want it to thrive". | Ms James said Welsh ministers "believe in strong local government" and "want it to thrive". |
| "Twenty years on from devolution, this is a significant local government bill which reflects the journey of devolution and will deliver a major package of reforms, including local government electoral reform," she said. | "Twenty years on from devolution, this is a significant local government bill which reflects the journey of devolution and will deliver a major package of reforms, including local government electoral reform," she said. |
| "It aims to provide local government with new ways to support and serve their communities in these challenging times, while reinvigorating local democracy here in Wales." | "It aims to provide local government with new ways to support and serve their communities in these challenging times, while reinvigorating local democracy here in Wales." |
| The legislation - called the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill - is being introduced before the assembly after being developed over five years. | The legislation - called the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill - is being introduced before the assembly after being developed over five years. |
| It will need to be passed by AMs before becoming law. The Welsh Government is hoping the process will be complete by summer 2020. |