Democracy and participation: A wider franchise and debates over suffrage

Who cannot vote in the UK?

Under 18s.

EU citizens.

Members of the House of Lords.

Prisoners.

Those convinced of a corrupt or illegal electoral practice.

Mentally incapacitated.

Franchise

The right to vote in elections.

Suffragists

A person advocating that the right to vote be extended to women through peaceful and civil methods.

Suffragettes

A woman seeking the right to vote through organised protest. 

Great Reform Act 1832

Voting rights were extended to property owners, allowing 20% of men to vote.

Representation of the People Act 1918

Voting rights were extended to all men over 21 and property-owning women over 30.

Representation of the People Act 1928

Voting rights extended to all women over 21.

Representation of the People Act 1969

Voting rights extended to all 18 year olds to reflect the changing attitudes in society about adulthood.

Hirst v UK (2005)

The ECHR declared that the blanket ban on all prisoners from voting was a violation of their human rights. 

Give an example of a civil liberties pressure group that is fighting for the extension of the franchise to prisoners.

Amnesty International

Civil liberties pressure groups have supported more than how many legal challenges from prisoners denied the right to vote?

2,000

In 2020, what bill did the Scottish Parliament pass regarding the franchise to prisoners?

 It passed a bill to extend the franchise to prisoners serving a sentence of less than 12 months.

Give three reasons for why the franchise must be widened to accept prisoners.

The right to vote is a human right in democracy.

Removal of the vote makes a prisoner a non-person and further alienates them from society.

Prisoners are not given a voice which leads to a large group of society being unrepresented.

Give three reasons for why the franchise must NOT be widened to accept prisoners.

Those who commit a custodial crime against society should lose the right to have a say in how that society is run.

The right of losing the right to vote prevents crime and enhances civil responsibility.

The evidence suggests that most prisoners would not get the right to vote.

Votes for 16 Campaign

A coalition of a number of different groups that believe that the franchise should be extended to 16 and 17 year olds.

Give three reasons for why the franchise must be extended to 16 and 17 year olds.

Giving 16/17 year olds the vote would give them a say in policies that matter to them.

It would encourage political engagement amongst young people.

Young people already have responsibility and other legal rights.

Give three reasons for why the franchise must NOT be extended to 16 and 17 year olds.

Not many countries let 16/17 year olds vote.

There is already low turnout amongst younger voters, showing they lack the life experience and maturity to vote.

A lot of the rights that young people have are limited and having responsibilities does not apply to all of them.

Give three advantages for compulsory voting.

Voting is a social duty as well as a right; people should be engaged in the processes that affect their lives.

It would produce a Parliament that is more representative of the population as a whole.

Politicians would have to run better quality campaigns, and the governments would have to frame their policies with the whole electorate in mind.

Give three disadvantages for compulsory voting.

It could lead to ‘donkey voting’.

It is undemocratic to force people to take part in something that should be a matter of choice.

It would not stop politicians focusing their campaign on marginal seats, and neglecting safe seats where the outcome is predictable.