Newsbot Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Only 698 of 16 to 17 year olds in the Isle of Man have grabbed their chance to register as voters. Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/6041074.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alias Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I would hardly call it shunning. Since they had to proactively enroll on the register it's safe to assume that nearly all of them will use the vote, and ~40% voting doesn't seem that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Wouldn't the forms have been completed by the head of household anyway? Not unreasonable to expect some of their parents to forget that the monosylabic mass of acne they see hanging round the place will actually be eligible to vote come November. This happened to me when I turned 18 in the September and found I couldn't vote in the November, because me Dad had forgotten to include me in the forms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkly things make me smile Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Of course were not going to register to vote. No candidates have bothered to come and talk to us and see what we want, alot of us don't know who we even can vote for (myself included). I know that doesn't apply to everyone, but the people of my age who i've spoken too feel the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahc Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 You register first, then they talk to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drdimmer Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 That's useful to know now, but I know I wasn't made aware of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahc Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 When I turned 18 nobody talked to us and "made us aware". I was already interested and found out for myself. It wasn't very hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 It was a ridiculous idea that had little or no support outside of a few members of Tynwald who thought it was a way of showing that they were interested in the youth of the island. It should have been left until after this election - proposed in the election manifestos of those who supported it - and the existing electorate given an opportunity to show whether or not they approved of it. Instead, it's simply been foisted upon us with little or no public debate, and no apparent demand from the age group concerned. It is gimmick politicking at its very worst! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girl89 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I don't think we neccessarily have to be 'told' who to vote for etc. If you want to vote, you find out who's representing your area. I doubt it's that hard to find out, especially with the help of Google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTucker Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 at what age can the you stand for the election? if Kevin the teenager stood and persuaded all his school mates and anyone who doesnt really care about politics in his constituency to register and vote, promoted himself on MySpace and generally made people laugh he could be elected, that would be great fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 It was a ridiculous idea that had little or no support outside of a few members of Tynwald who thought it was a way of showing that they were interested in the youth of the island. It should have been left until after this election - proposed in the election manifestos of those who supported it - and the existing electorate given an opportunity to show whether or not they approved of it.Instead, it's simply been foisted upon us with little or no public debate, and no apparent demand from the age group concerned. It is gimmick politicking at its very worst! Actually, I think it is one of the successes of this term. In fact it is difficult to imagine what sort of person would object. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahc Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 It was a ridiculous idea that had little or no support outside of a few members of Tynwald who thought it was a way of showing that they were interested in the youth of the island. It should have been left until after this election - proposed in the election manifestos of those who supported it - and the existing electorate given an opportunity to show whether or not they approved of it. Instead, it's simply been foisted upon us with little or no public debate, and no apparent demand from the age group concerned. It is gimmick politicking at its very worst! Actually, I think it is one of the successes of this term. In fact it is difficult to imagine what sort of person would object. The sort of person who forgot that the teenage years are the most important for getting into politics, world affairs, environmental issues etc. Capture it then and you've got it for life. Let it slide for a few years and cynicism and apathy kick in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juan Kerr Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 How many 16/17 yr olds actually know they have this right? have they all been informed...... my son is 17 and he has not said a thing about either wanting to or knowing that he can ....... maybe its my place to tell him? Doh! Just goes to show why we shouldn't have given them the right to vote .... if they're still waiting for their mum to tell them how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star89 Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 When I turned 18 nobody talked to us and "made us aware". I was already interested and found out for myself. It wasn't very hard. I am interested. And i registered myself to vote. but I also accept that some people arent interested. Its not for everyone. Its not a crime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Actually, I think it is one of the successes of this term. In fact it is difficult to imagine what sort of person would object. The sort of person who forgot that the teenage years are the most important for getting into politics, world affairs, environmental issues etc. Capture it then and you've got it for life. Let it slide for a few years and cynicism and apathy kick in. Most definitely no. Rather, the sort of person who was appalled that this measure was foisted on us - almost without debate - during the death throes of the last government. Someone who believes, perhaps, that it ought to have been in manifestos at the last election if it was proposed to introduce it. Someone who believes that, if it was to be done, it ought to have been done at least a year earlier - so that schools and parents would have time to help the people in that age group to register - and to help them to learn a little about the murky world of Manx politics. Someone who thinks that it should have been given time for proper, reasoned debate - and possibly introduced as a serious and important extension of the democratic process - instead of simply foisting it on everyone as a political gimmick designed to detract from the failures of the present incumbents in the corridors of power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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