EU referendum and older voters

I am confident because we discuss it, and they know what I think, as well as me knowing what they think.
My 14 year old grandson cannot understand why I do not vote the same way as my parents used to. I tell him that it's because I think carefully about things, and about other people.
My grandson is Danish, as is his mother. My other son has a Spanish wife.
His children have a grandfather who is Norwegian and a grandmother who is American.
I am sure people will tell me I've said this before, but there is no reason for any of my immediate family to vote out.

You are confident that the family will vote the same as you dj, most young people I know vote the exact opposite of their parents just to assert their individuality. Obviously DD has an agenda as she lives in Europe and it is in her interests to stay in but I will be voting out.

I am not sure I understand "go with gut feeling". Does it mean that you make a choice free from any thought or consideration of the evidence? What actually informs a gut instinct?
Can I also ask whether Brexiters genuinely think that the UK economy is robust enough to withstand a lengthy period of uncertainty?

A lot of young voters don't register because they don't think voting gets them anywhere. There should be a really concerted effort to get them to at least register even if they then choose not to vote. I certainly know the Labour Party has put out many reminders to the public in general that there is a deadline and that this is a crucial vote.
I was shocked to hear that, in the North of Ireland which traditionally has a high turn out, many young people are not going to vote because they do not see things changing there. I was also shocked at the number prepared to vote out over there but I gather that has less to do with the EU and more to do with internal politics. I try to convince the young of all parts of the UK I meet that nothing changes if you just sit back and do nothing and to at least register and give themselves the choice.

Thank you for your comments. My daughter is 41 and does vote. I tend to distrust all politicians; Obama included, who has his own agenda. I thought Robert Preston's 'Tonight - In or Out' the most enlightening programmes. The conclusion that we "go with our gut feeling" seems, for me the correct path.

thatbags The rules in Scotland re voting are different.

The Citizens Advice site says:

"In Scotland, you can register to vote if you are 15 years old or over (and in some cases 14 years old). From 2016, you will be eligible to vote in Scottish Parliament and Scottish local government elections once you are 16. You will be eligible to vote in UK and European elections once you are 18."

I'm not sure how it works but presumably because the person in question is not at that moment eligible to vote their parent/guardian has to register on their behalf.

Thanks, dj, re electoral register age differences in Scotland. However, that is not the issue. It was said that parents can't register their teenage kids. My argument is that, with the teenager's signature, they still can. I have recently done it so clearly it can be done.

So I'm still puzzled as to why so many young people are apparently not registered to vote.

Universities may not be able to block register students in the way they used to, possibly because individuals' signatures are required.

Martin Lewis from Moneysupermarket said something interesting last night.
He said forget about all the hype, just think about your attitude to risk. Nobody actually knows what will happen, whatever they tell you. It's all guesswork.

It is more risky to vote out, so if you do not mind taking a risk, vote out.
Otherwise vote in.

It's only in Scotland that you can be on the electoral register at 15.
In the rest of the UK it is 16.
That's because 16 year olds can vote in some circumstances in Scotland.

I might be naive but I do find it difficult to gamble so much with the unknown in respect of jobs,and the very likelyhood of it being a few decades for the UK to obtain new markets for our exports.

I am not prepared to gamble with my grandchildren's because of prejudices of the Out brigade. As yet the Outs have not given me any accurate information to back up their case.

No, I am not going to take such a precarious gamble on such an unknown future.

I am more prepared to accept the views of World leaders other than Putin who wants us out, I wonder what is his motive?

I have carefully read the views of those wanting to leave on these pages, so many are so closely in line with the views of the Murdoch empire and that is enough for me question such motives, his attitude of the truth over Hillsborough sickened me. I keep asking myself are the media brainwashing us?

There is no way would I accept his paper as being 100% accurate with the truth, even their role of hacking is back in the news.
I honestly do not believe the media have been telling us the full truth about the EU, I prefer to keep in EU & bring about changes as members than being outside with no say.

I just do not trust the anti EU propaganda.

Let's vote to stay in.

daphnedill, so how was I able to register Minibags? She is on the electoral register now even though she is only fifteen. She will get a vote when she's old enough.

I have been reading this thread with interest .I
Am having a,problem deciding and accessing clear information as to how to either decision will affect us .

I agree with you, Eloethan (apart from still being uindecided ;-)). My daughter finished at uni last September and still isn't in settled accommodation. She didn't realise she wasn't registered, so I made sure she was and that she told all her friends to register and vote.

Yes, the Conservatives changed the system so each individual has to register and households or universities can no longer block-register students.

I do have some sympathy with your daughter's view, Tricia, although what cut-off age does she suggest and surely such an argument could be used for any election? Even if the vote is to stay in, presumably if at a later date the country as a whole overwhelmingly wanted to leave there's not much the EU could do about it.

I think that, rather than try and prevent older people from voting, it would be a good idea if all these young people who are supposedly so keen on remaining in the EU actually got out and voted.

I am still undecided.

thatbags, Your parents or university wouldn't be able to register you with the new system. Being registered to pay council tax or being in a university halls of residence is not enough.

I have always wanted the UK to be out of the EU so will vote to leave. Since the date of the referendum has been announced I have, like all of us, been thinking more deeply about the whole thing, and about how I, the older generation, will not be affected by any result for as long as my children are. I have thought about voting for what they think about whether we should stay in or leave. Neither of my daughters has ever said that the older generation should not be allowed to vote for anything. Trisher89, does your daughter have a fixed age in mind as to when "old" people should give up the right to vote?
I found out in a chat the other day that both my girls want the UK to leave the EU. Thank heavens, there is no problem with that and I can vote as I intended all along.

There's another personal/parental responsibility thing where education helps. My dad made sure each of his five offspring were registered to vote as they turned eighteen. My university also registered me so in fact I had two votes the first time I was able to vote. Don't worry, I only used one, though I can't remember whether it was the postal vote my dad had organised or the one in my uni town.

Minibags is not even sixteen yet but when I re-registered DH and me last, there was an opportunity to register her too. She had to supply a signature. Don't most parents do this? If not, why not?

Devorgilla, Unfortunately, a number of young people didn't realise they had to register as individuals. The date is just after the end of university term, so some will be in limbo between term-time and home addresses and others ill be at Glastonbury. By the time they realise, it might be too late. I made sure both my children were registered. I agree with you that the age should have been lowered to 16 and also that British citizens living abroad, at least in the EU, should have had a vote.

Fortunately everyone in my family will vote to stay in, the same as me.
No arguments there at all.

It will affect all of us, young and old!How very dare anyone suggest we are too old to vote ! ( totters off in a doddery way to prepare an evening meal.)

Personally I think that the 16+ should have been allowed to vote in this referendum. They do have to live with it longer. As to 'oldies' not being allowed to vote as they won't live long enough - stuff and nonsense. I have voted since I got the vote and will do so until I die. I assume your daughter does actually vote. So many of the young don't. More fool them.

Agreed. But that doesn't mean everyone will think the same, nor does it mean that those who vote a different way from oneself are necessarily in the wrong. People who suggest that old people shouldn't have a vote because they think old people will vote a different way from themselves are thinking undemocratically.

All of legal age have the right to vote, but I think we should remember our grandchildren have to live with the outcome of the referendum vote

DGS2 is 18 today. I'm slipping a wad of cash into his birthday card having just finished icing his cake.

He'd better not piss me off suggest I'm too old to vote in a referendum.

Well, we shouldn't be allowed to drive a car, for a start - all those oldies clogging up the roads and holding up the young go-getters. As soon as we're entitled to a bus pass that should be it - give the car to one of your kids and use public transport!