The Government was elected on a manifesto promise to “increase the engagement of young people in our vibrant democracy by giving 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections.” We agree, and here’s why they should do it.
16- and 17-year-olds voting isn’t a new idea. In Scotland and Wales, 16- and 17-year-olds are already allowed to vote in devolved elections. The positive experience there, and further afield, has shown the far-reaching benefits to extending the franchise to young people across the United Kingdom.
Extending the franchise means a boost to turnout
Voter turnout is one of the vital signs of our democracy. When it’s low, it’s an indicator that our democracy isn’t as healthy as it could be. When it’s high, governments are considered to be more representative – because a higher proportion of people actually took part in electing them. The more people who vote, the more people get to shape the laws we all live under, which is an important feature of a healthy democracy.
So, if you care about living in a healthy democracy, it follows you should care about voter turnout.
But where does votes at 16 come into this? The research suggests that extending the franchise to all 16- and 17-year-olds is one way to make sure that turnout is bolstered in the long-term.
One reason for this is that when 16- and 17-year-olds have the vote, they’re more likely to vote than their counterparts who were enfranchised at 18. That’s one uptick for turnout – and one uptick for a flourishing democracy.
More participation in the long-term
Another reason why extending the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds is so vital for our democracy is that it has the potential to boost turnout long-term. This is because there’s also evidence that if a person is enfranchised at 16, they’re more likely to vote again going forward.
So it’s not just that we’ll have a new age bracket raising turnout: a key benefit of votes at 16 is that we’ll be fostering a generation of voters who will go on to become voting adults in future elections. Higher participation would be baked into our politics for good.
Given that our most recent General Election saw turnout reaching a record low, the case for votes at 16 is stronger than ever. Our democracy needs a health boost.
England and Northern Ireland are lagging behind
There’s also the simple matter of unfairness.
It’s a postcode lottery that means young people in England and Northern Ireland don’t get to vote in local and devolved elections. In Wales and Scotland, 16- and 17-year-olds can already vote in Senedd and Scottish Parliament elections, as well as for local councillors.
To combat this inequality in voting rights, it’s now time for the barriers to participation to be lifted for young people in England and Northern Ireland, and the opportunities for participation extended to Westminster elections.
Extending the franchise is long overdue
Britain has a long, proud history of shaking up the franchise. It was in 1969 that the right to vote was last amended, with the voting age dropped from 21 to 18 – a change that few would think of undoing. When people experience voting alongside 16 and 17 year olds, they support it – 60 per cent of Scots now back the idea.
For the sake of a modern, well-functioning democracy, England, Northern Ireland and Westminster need to catch up and modernise the franchise once again.
Add your name: elections shouldn’t exclude 16- and 17-year-olds