Scottish Election 2021: Don't fall for this flimsy excuse not to vote. Politicians are not 'all the same' – Steve Cardownie

In Scotland, the voting age was lowered to 16 back in 2013 in time for the 2014 independence referendum and over 100,000 16 and 17-year-olds took that opportunity and cast their vote accordingly.

Steve Cardownie's 16-year-old son is getting ready to vote for the first time (Picture: Rui Vieira/PA)

A slight dip was recorded in the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections when 80,000 participated.

This time around they will get that chance again although this continues to be denied them in UK-wide elections after the Westminster government refused to lower the voting age despite the SNP, Labour, Greens and Liberal Democrats all supporting such a change. To their credit, the Scottish Conservatives also agree that the voting age should be lowered.

As my youngest son just turned 16 last January, he was sent the relevant documentation which he duly completed and is now registered to vote on May 6 and, importantly, is looking forward to it.

So far he has not indicated what his intentions are and, of course, it is entirely a matter for himself as to which party will gain his support.

I am just pleased that he fully intends to participate in the democratic process by turning up at a polling station to vote and hope that this will be his attitude throughout his adult life.

I hold the view that a person who participates in the process has more legitimacy to comment on the outcome than the apathetic individual who recites the well-worn phrase that “they’re all the same” as a reason for not voting.

They are not all the same and it is not a reason – more a flimsy excuse!

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