Local elections in Wales could be due a major shake-up as the Welsh Government launches a consultation on electoral reform.

Extending the vote to 16 and 17 year olds, electronic voting and proportional representation are just some of the proposals that have been announced.

Swimming pools, supermarkets and train stations could become alternative polling stations under the plans to modernise voting.

Foreign citizens who normally live in Wales could be given the right to vote in council polls. The Welsh Government also wants to know what people think of giving convicted prisoners the vote, if that becomes a practical possibility.

Councils could also be given the option of switching to elections by proportional representation under the proposals. There will now be a 12 week consultation period, ahead of a new Local Government Bill.

If enacted, it could amount to the biggest change in the Welsh electoral system since 1970 - when the voting age was lowered to 18.

The powers to make these changes have been transferred to the Welsh Assembly under the Wales Act, which was passed at Westminster earlier this year.

Today I'm announcing a Bill and a wholesale package of reforms that will change the way councils work and the way they are elected. We want to make it easier to vote and easier to be entitled to vote. There's no reason why 16 and 17 year olds can marry, pay taxes and join the army but can't vote in our elections. There's no reason why, in the twenty-first century, we can carry out all sorts of daily transactions online but can't, as of yet, vote online. That's why we're setting out a number of different ideas to modernise the electoral system and putting out a call for the public to share their ideas with us too. More broadly, if we're to achieve real and lasting change in our councils then we have to change the way they work. I have spoken to and consulted widely with councils on how best to do this and we now have a Local Government Bill that will strengthen services through systematic and mandatory regional working and build a new relationship between citizens and their councils. I look forward to working with local government on the Bill and I urge everyone to have their say on this bold and pioneering package of electoral reforms we're setting out today. > Mark Drakeford AM, Cabinet Secretary for Local Government

The proposals are intended to make it easier for people to vote and modernise the voting system.

Changes could also be made to the voting system itself with councils being given the option of using First-Past-the-Post or a Single Transferable Vote system.

The National Union of Students in Wales has welcomed the proposals as an opportunity for young people in Wales to be 'active citizens in their communities'.

It is very exciting to see votes at 16 included in these new proposals to shake up the way Wales runs its local councils. We want to see a Wales that values what its young people have to say, and allows them to be active citizens in their communities. Carmen Smith, NUS Wales Deputy President

The time is right to have this conversation on how we do things differently when it comes to voting and engaging people around politics. This consultation on electoral reform is a welcome step forward and covers a huge amount of things that we believe could genuinely improve the way politics works in Wales. Jess Blair, Director of the Electoral Reform Society Cymru

Plaid Cymru say they have long campaigned for lowering of the voting age in Wales to 16 years old.