Devolution (Further Powers) Committee
Background
Voters aged 16 and 17 who were eligible to vote in this year’s referendum on
independence were asked by the Committee about their experiences to help inform
its work in this area.
An online survey was developed by the Committee which asked young people their
views on their experience of voting in the referendum and the extent to which their
experience of voting in the referendum has led to a broader engagement with
political debates.
In addition, schools, colleges and youth groups were encouraged to submit video
clips which convey the views of young people.
The results of the online survey are set out below. Additionally, the video clips
received can be found on the Committee’s homepage:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/83973.
aspx
Survey results
In total, 1,252 people responded to the survey, answering all or some of the
questions posed.
Devolution (Further Powers) Committee
The Scottish Parliament
January 2015
Email: devolutioncommittee@scottish.parliament.uk
Follow us on Twitter @SP_DevoCttee
Question 1 - Did you vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum?
Answer Options
Response
Percent
Response
Count
92.0%
1152
8.0%
100
Yes, I voted in the Scottish Independence
Referendum
No, I did not vote in the Scottish Independence
Referendum
answered question
skipped question
1252
0
Question 2 - Were you registered to vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum? NB. only those who answered No to Q1 were
asked Q2
Answer Options
Response
Percent
Response
Count
16.3%
76.5%
7.1%
16
75
7
Yes
No
Don't know
answered question
skipped question
98
1154
Question 3 - If you registered to vote, how did you find the process?
Answer Options
Easy
Quite Easy
Neither
Easy nor
Difficult
Quite
Difficult
Difficult
Don't
Know/No
Opinion
Voter registration
600
240
94
17
8
12
Not
Applicable I was
registered
by someone
else
167
answered question
skipped question
Response
Count
1138
1138
114
Question 4 - Information about how to register to vote was available from many sources. From which sources did you find out
about how to register? (Please tick all that apply)
Answer Options
Home
School (Local authority)
School (Private)
College
University
Youth Organisation/Workers
Advertising Campaign (Billboard, Leaflet, Print, TV,
Radio or Online)
Letter from Electoral Registration Officer
None of the above
Response
Percent
Response
Count
60.9%
43.8%
6.5%
2.4%
1.6%
6.7%
707
509
75
28
19
78
33.3%
387
39.7%
7.9%
461
92
answered question
skipped question
1161
91
Question 5 - How well, or badly, informed did you feel about the major issues in the Scottish Independence Referendum debate?
Answer Options
Well informed
Quite well informed
Neither well informed nor badly informed
Quite badly informed
Badly informed
Don't know
Response
Percent
Response
Count
43.8%
29.7%
11.0%
8.7%
5.2%
1.7%
501
339
126
99
59
19
answered question
skipped question
1143
109
Question 6 - Where did you find out about the issues raised in the Scottish Independence Referendum debate? (Please tick all that
apply)
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Newspapers, magazines and related news websites
65.5%
725
TV and radio, whether accessed live or via catch-up
or other online service
73.7%
816
58.2%
644
63.1%
699
40.0%
443
21.8%
241
35.8%
396
Material from other people or groups campaigning
for a Yes or No vote
49.5%
548
Other online or social media sources (including
interactive forums)
54.8%
607
Meetings attended in person (rallies, debates,
conferences etc.)
40.0%
443
70.1%
776
65.4%
724
2.6%
29
Answer Options
Material from the official Campaigns (Yes Scotland
and Better Together) - in hard copy (e.g. leaflets
delivered to your home)
Material from the official Campaigns (Better
Together and Yes Scotland) - online or via social
media
Material from the Scottish Government, including
Scotland's Future (the White Paper)
Material from the UK Government
Material from political parties
Informal discussions with friends and acquaintances
Informal discussions with family members
None of the above
answered question
skipped question
1107
145
Question 7 - Did you do any of the following during the Scottish Independence Referendum campaign? (Please tick all that apply)
Answer Options
Campaigned for either a Yes or No vote
Attended a campaign event (e.g. Town Hall meeting
or campaign rally)
Attended, in person, any of the major televised
debates (e.g. BBC Big, Big Debate)
Watched (on TV, online) any of the major televised
debates
Discussed the referendum online or via social media
Wore a Yes or No badge, T-shirt etc.
None of the above
Response
Percent
Response
Count
35.6%
390
38.5%
422
26.5%
290
79.8%
874
63.0%
60.5%
8.2%
690
663
90
answered question
skipped question
1095
157
Question 8 - Do you agree, or disagree, with the decision to give people aged 16 and 17 the right to vote in the Scottish
Independence Referendum?
Answer Options
Agree
Neither Agree nor Disagree
Disagree
Don't know
Response
Percent
Response
Count
84.6%
5.4%
8.5%
1.5%
922
59
93
16
answered question
skipped question
1090
162
Question 9 - Which, if any, of the following have you done since the Scottish Independence Referendum? (please tick all that
apply)
Answer Options
Joined a political party
Taken part in campaigning or political activity
Found out more about politics
None of the above
Response
Percent
Response
Count
25.7%
25.6%
63.1%
27.4%
279
278
685
298
answered question
skipped question
1086
166
Question 10 - How likely, or unlikely, are you to vote in each of the following types of election, when you are old enough to do so?
Answer Options
Scottish Parliament
UK Parliament - House of Commons
Local Government
Very likely
Quite likely
Neither likely
nor unlikely
Quite unlikely
Very unlikely
Don't know
829
699
571
134
180
249
41
69
115
17
39
49
17
46
30
22
23
36
answered question
skipped question
Response
Count
1060
1056
1050
1068
184
Question 11 - Do you think 16 and 17 year-olds should be allowed to vote in elections to the UK Parliament (House of Commons),
the Scottish Parliament and local authorities (councils)?
Answer Options
Yes
No
Don't know
Response
Percent
Response
Count
79.0%
15.4%
5.6%
844
164
60
answered question
skipped question
1068
184
Question 12 - Are you?
Answer Options
Male
Female
Response
Percent
Response
Count
47.3%
52.7%
499
556
answered question
skipped question
1055
197
Question 13 - In which local authority area do you live?
Response
Count
Answer Options
32
54
12
23
4
8
32
22
12
17
120
8
23
33
55
148
32
9
15
12
61
71
5
33
28
42
3
14
64
16
11
36
Aberdeen City
Aberdeenshire
Angus
Argyll and Bute
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Clackmannanshire
Dumfries and Galloway
Dundee
East Ayrshire
East Dunbartonshire
Edinburgh
East Lothian
East Renfrewshire
Falkirk
Fife
Glasgow
Highland
Inverclyde
Midlothian
Moray
North Ayrshire
North Lanarkshire
Orkney
Perth and Kinross
Renfrewshire
Scottish Borders
Shetland Islands
South Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
Stirling
West Dunbartonshire
West Lothian
answered question
skipped question
1055
197