Category Archives: Law

>Should we let them vote?

Posted on by 2 comments

>In many countries around the world certain groups of people are barred from voting. In the UK this list includes:

  1. Those under 18
  2. Certain prisoners e.g. those serving “intermittent custody” (meaning that they are in prison some days and home on others) can vote if the election falls on a day when they’re at home but not if they’re in prison.
  3. Hereditary members of the House of Lords
  4. People convicted of electoral malpractice are banned for five years.
  5. Those permanently detained in psychiatric hospitals
  6. Members of the Royal family can vote but do not do so as it would be considered unconstitutional.

Why do I tell you this? The Economist recently published an article asking that we give the vote to prisoners. I disagree. But do you think we should change who can vote in the UK or any country? In some US states anyone who goes to prison loses their votes for life.

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