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UK Commits to Lower Voting Age to 16 in Electoral Reform

Enfranchising 1.6 million teenagers alongside new voter ID requirements aims to prevent youth disenfranchisement under the government’s electoral reform.

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Photo composite illustration of a close up of a teenager's dental braces and a hand casting a ballot
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A polling station sign is seen at a road junction during the general election, in London, Britain, July 4, 2024. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo

Overview

  • The Elections Bill formally reduces the voting age from 18 to 16 for the next general election, extending the franchise to around 1.6 million new voters.
  • The government’s package pairs the age change with expanded ID options, automatic voter registration and tougher political donation rules to modernise the electoral system.
  • A Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee report warns that many 16- and 17-year-olds lack suitable ID and calls for analysis and mitigation plans to avoid blocking young voters.
  • Opponents led by Conservative MPs and historian Andrew Thorpe argue that teenagers lack the maturity to vote and highlight inconsistencies with other age-based legal thresholds.
  • Labour, the SNP and Reform UK are already targeting the new youth cohort, with early polling indicating the potential to shift party support and influence future referendums in Scotland.