17.
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Registered electors will be able to vote in a
geographical constituency for the direct elections and,
where qualified, in a functional constituency.
18.
Sir, there is one other matter to which I would
like to draw attention, and that is the voting age. When
we last canvassed public opinion on this question in 1987,
the response was a resoundingly conservative one: that we
should keep it at 21. The arguments are finely balanced.
Young people now mature earlier. This has been recognised
by the Law Reform Commission, and we are already moving to
bring the age of majority for some other practical matters
down to 18. Also we would like to develop a greater sense
of involvement amongst young people in the government of
their affairs. Against these we have weighed the very
major changes already proposed for 1991 and the need to
hasten cautiously. In addition, experience of voter
registration so far suggests that young people have been
less prepared to step forward as voters. We have therefore
decided for the present to maintain the voting age at 21
years, but to consider lowering it to 18 years in 1995.