Scotland gets to vote today on whether or not its citizens wish to become independent from the UK, and there is a chance that Scotland’s future could be decided by teens. For the first time, teenage voters starting at the age of 16 are able to cast their ballots in the decision, and that could mean that they would have the swing vote when the final tally is determined. While teens make up about 12 percent of the entire population of Scotland, traditionally, young people are motivated to head to the voting booth, and Scottish teenagers have been expressing a significant amount of excitement in determining their own future.
As USA Today reports, children in Scotland start everything younger than they do here in the U.S. Teens in Scotland can drink at age 18, get married and join the military at 16, and even work and pay taxes just like adults. Given this fast-track to maturity, it is no surprise that they are now able to vote. This historic decision will have a large impact on the teens’ futures. A split from the U.K. will mean independence for Scotland, and an increased responsibility on the next generation in the leading of, and legislation for, their country.
Anecdotal opinion is split on whether teens will decide on Scottish independence for the future during the all-important vote. Some teens said that their schoolmates were leaning toward independence, but other commentators pointed out that youth in Scotland align strongly with a British identity because they have grown up as part of the UK, and that could sway their decision toward the “no” vote.
Election officials said that the voter turnout was expected to be extremely high-up to 80 percent. People who stood in line anticipating the Scotland vote wore traditional garb such as kilts and tartans, evoking a sense of national identity and pride. Will Scotland’s future by decided by teens? Results in the historic vote should be available by tomorrow morning.
