Amelia Manuel turns 16 on Wednesday, May 6, and will be among Wales’ youngest first-time voters when she takes part in the Senedd election on Thursday, May 7.
Her mum, Katrina Cookson, said Amelia had never been especially political before but had become increasingly interested as her first chance to vote approached.
“She’s excited, I think, and she’s really interested to find out, well, to vote for the first time,” she said. “She’s been doing her own little research on all the various parties and who she wants to vote for.”
Katrina said her daughter had been using the internet, social media and AI tools to understand what different parties stand for and to explore their manifestos in her own time.
“I wouldn’t say she’s passionate, she’s never really known about it before, but she is excited to vote and she’s obviously just starting to get interested in what all the parties stand for and what all their manifestos are,” she said.
The vote will also be a chance for Amelia to work out what matters most to her as she moves into adulthood, her mum believes.
“Yeah, I guess she is discovering more about herself, trying to understand what she stands for,” Katrina said.
The 2026 Senedd election is only the second time 16 and 17-year-olds have been able to vote in a Welsh national election, after the voting age was lowered for Senedd and local elections.
Youth turnout and engagement remain big questions for parties, with campaigners saying that supporting teenagers like Amelia through their first experience at the ballot box can help build positive habits for life.
Katrina said Amelia is happy to share her experience as a young first-time voter to encourage other to vote.
