Voters in Lincoln appear sceptical about a new global campaign encouraging adults to give their vote to a child.
Members of the Children’s Voting Colloquium say over-18s should consider lending their cross to youngsters in a bid to motivate governments to focus more on long-term issues like climate change.
But on the streets of Lincoln this week, the novel idea was met with little enthusaism.
Luke Blisset, a 29-year-old aircraft engineer, said: “I wouldn’t give anyone under 16 [the vote]. I was stupid when I was 16!”
Similar concerns were shared by 22-year-old Willow Ribbons who said: “It depends on the age of the child – I mean I wouldn’t give my vote to anyone younger than 16. A 10-year-old, as far as things are going to affect them in the future, they don’t have a scooby what they’re doing. I didn’t.”
Allison Eatch, 61 and retired, said people should not give their vote to others because it was such a valuable thing.
She said: “The right to vote is sacred. Women in particular died to give ordinary people a vote and it’s something I hold very dearly.” She added she feared it being “taken away”.
But Alan Devonish, a 48-year-old hospitality worker, said the cause behind the campaign had some merit at least. He said: “There’s a marriage between now and future that I think needs to be thought of a little more.”
