UK Voting age: Should you be able to vote at 16?
- Published
- comments
Do you think young people should be able to vote from age 16?
A campaign led by the British Youth Council along with The Body Shop is calling for all young people to be able to vote at 16 by 2024.
The project is calling for all political parties to back full voting rights for young people.
In the local elections on 5 May, 16 and 17 year olds will be able to vote in Wales and Scotland, but not in England and Northern Ireland.
If you can't see this vote, click here.
In Scotland the voting age was lowered in 2013 which meant that anyone aged 16 or 17, with a Scottish address, is allowed to vote in Scottish-only elections and in Wales over-16s can vote in Welsh-only elections too.
But what do you think? Is 16 too young, too old or just right? And is it fair that some parts of the UK let you vote from 16 while others don't?
Here are some arguments that have been made for and against the voting age being changed to 16.
Let us know what you think in the comments.
Reasons FOR votes at 16
Young people should have more of a say in their future.
If 16 year olds were able to vote, politicians would have to come up with ideas that appeal to them
It would boost the number of people in the country who vote, so governments that win would represent the views of more voters
Some 16 year olds who are working would pay taxes so they should be able to decide who is in charge of spending them
Reasons AGAINST votes at 16
Eighteen is the age where you are considered an adult, so that's when voting rights should be given
Young people don't know enough about the world and don't have enough experience yet
Some people argue that young people are not informed enough about politics and different parties
Children could be manipulated into voting how other adults tell them to vote
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
- Published25 April 2022
- Published24 May
- Published27 November 2019
