Meetings

NDM8293 Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal - A Civic duty to vote Bill

This page gives details of any meetings held which will, or did, discuss the matter, and includes links to the relevant Papers, Agendas and Minutes.

Note: Meeting Agenda can change at short notice. Particularly where future meeting dates are indicated more than a week in advance. Please check before planning to attend a Committee Meeting that the item you are interested in has not been moved.

Meeting: 28/06/2023 - Plenary (Item 5)

Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal – A civic duty to vote Bill

NDM8293 Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on the introduction of a civic duty to vote.

2. Notes that the purpose of this Bill would be to:

a) to seek to emulate the success of other democracies that have introduced a civic duty to vote in increasing levels of voter turnout at elections and thereby improving the level of engagement and representativeness across all ages, classes and communities;

b) to introduce a civic duty for all those eligible to vote to participate in Senedd and county council elections;

c) to allow those wishing to indicate their dissatisfaction with a candidate, party or politics more broadly to so by means of a positive abstention option on the ballot paper;

d) to allow for the introduction of an appropriate sanction for non-compliance with the civic obligation to vote or positively abstain, with legitimate exemptions; and

e) to provide for the introduction of a pilot phase for the introduction of the duty on an age-specific basis.

Supporters

Rhys ab Owen (South Wales Central)

Minutes:

The item started at 15.47

Voting on the motion under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

NDM8293 Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on the introduction of a civic duty to vote.

2. Notes that the purpose of this Bill would be to:

a) to seek to emulate the success of other democracies that have introduced a civic duty to vote in increasing levels of voter turnout at elections and thereby improving the level of engagement and representativeness across all ages, classes and communities;

b) to introduce a civic duty for all those eligible to vote to participate in Senedd and county council elections;

c) to allow those wishing to indicate their dissatisfaction with a candidate, party or politics more broadly to so by means of a positive abstention option on the ballot paper;

d) to allow for the introduction of an appropriate sanction for non-compliance with the civic obligation to vote or positively abstain, with legitimate exemptions; and

e) to provide for the introduction of a pilot phase for the introduction of the duty on an age-specific basis.

Supporters

Rhys ab Owen (South Wales Central)

The result was as follows:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

20

20

12

52

The motion was agreed.

 


Meeting: 21/06/2023 - Plenary (Item 7)

Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal - A civic duty to vote Bill - Postponed

NDM8293 Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on the introduction of a civic duty to vote.

2. Notes that the purpose of this Bill would be to:

a) to seek to emulate the success of other democracies that have introduced a civic duty to vote in increasing levels of voter turnout at elections and thereby improving the level of engagement and representativeness across all ages, classes and communities;

b) to introduce a civic duty for all those eligible to vote to participate in Senedd and county council elections;

c) to allow those wishing to indicate their dissatisfaction with a candidate, party or politics more broadly to so by means of a positive abstention option on the ballot paper;

d) to allow for the introduction of an appropriate sanction for non-compliance with the civic obligation to vote or positively abstain, with legitimate exemptions; and

e) to provide for the introduction of a pilot phase for the introduction of the duty on an age-specific basis.

Supporters

Rhys ab Owen (South Wales Central)

Minutes:

This item was postponed