Scotland decides its future today

Today, voters in Scotland will decide Scottish Independence. BBC polls indicate incredibly high turnout, with 93 percent of surveyed voters saying they are certain to participate in this historic election. With an overwhelming sense of engagement among the populace, both the 'yes' and 'no' campaigns are aiming to mobilize voters. Among these voters are 16- and 17-year-olds. Scotland specifically lowered the voting age to 16 for the referendum, encouraging massive participation. This decision has added vigor to an election that has seen dramatic shifts in public opinion, and that has sent London and the rest of the international community into a frenzy.

Although the Better Together unity campaign held a lead last month, a survey conducted by YouGov for the Sunday Times newspaper in London showed independence in the lead for the first time. The poll, which excludes undecided voters, shows 51 percent in support of independence and 49 percent supporting unity. This poll is consistent with a larger trend, with support for unity steadily and dramatically shrinking over the course of a few weeks.

The UK has responded with a sense of panic. Both the Queen and Prime Minister David Cameron have pleaded with the Scottish population to stay in the union. Chancellor George Osborne has said the government will announce new plans to give Scotland more financial autonomy if Scots stay. Driven by strong concerns for the international economy and the sanctity of the EU, international voices have also urged Scottish voters to support unity, including the heads of former British colonies, President Obama and the Australian Prime Minister.

If Scotland becomes independent, there will be many decisions to make in the next two years. Unresolved debates include oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, the currency of a new country and whether Scotland would stay in the EU, the NATO alliance, nuclear agreements and much more. Hopefully, if Scots vote to stay with the UK, their future will include generous freedoms. Either way, the vote offers Scotland an important chance to gain control of its own political future.

Sixteen and 17-year-olds are under three percent of the vote in Scotland, but in such a tight decision, their voices may actually make a difference. Although, generally speaking, voters in their 20s and 30s are more likely to choose independence, the 16- and 17-year-olds who were granted the vote for the first time in this referendum are not as pro-independence as many pundits expected. In fact, they seem to be more unity-inclined than their parents. Granting youth a chance to vote allows them not only to partake in a national process that will directly determine their future, but also engage in an opportunity that only comes along once in a lifetime.