Youth Citizenship Commission Launch Consultation On Votes at 16

The Youth Citizenship Commission has published a consultation paper on lowering the voting age to 16.

The Commission was established following the publication of the Governance of Britain Green Paper in July last year. The paper highlighted the importance of engaging young people as active citizens and set out plans that the Youth Citizenship Commission would lead a consultation on whether the voting age should be lowered to 16.

The key purpose of the Youth Citizenship Commission is to consider ways of re-engaging young people in the political process. Voter turnout has been falling and this has been most acute amongst young people. It is estimated that just 37% of 18-24 year olds voted in the 2005 General Election. Although turnout may be low, research shows that young people are not apathetic and are actively involved in politics through taking part in voluntary work, campaigns and protests on issues that affect their lives. The Youth Citizenship Commission's purpose is to find ways to engage young people with formal political processes and encourage more young people to become involved in the democratic process to bring about change in our society.

Research undertaken into why voter turnout is low among young people has shown that young people are concerned that adults do not really listen to their views or take seriously involving young people in the democratic process and therefore do not vote because they feel alienated from the political process.
The Power Report (2006) argued that reducing the voting age to 16 would stop young people from feeling excluded from politics by providing them with the opportunity to have real influence over the political process through having a say in shaping policies that affect them. The Councillor's Commission Report
(2007) also recommended that the voting age be reduced to 16.

The main argument for opponents of reducing the voting age to 16 include that young people are not mature enough to understand political issues and therefore exercise the right to vote responsibly and that although at 16 young people can get married, move out of home and pay taxes, that the minimum age for various other rights and responsibilities is 18.

The consultation has now been completed and a paper summary of the consultation responses has now been published and is available to view at www.ycc.uk.net/votes/