UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed plans to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in the next general election scheduled for 2029. The announcement has caused massive uproar across the United Kingdom as the decision marks one of the most significant electoral reforms in recent history.
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The legal voting age in the UK has so far remained at 18, at par with most democracies in the world. However, the government’s decision stands to put Britain among a growing number of countries such as Brazil, Austria and Argentina, that have expanded voting rights to younger citizens.
Commenting on the issue, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the move aims to “break down barriers to participation” and restore confidence in public institutions. “For too long, public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline. We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy,” she added.
Why the change?
The ruling Labour party that won the general elections with a landslide about a year ago stated that the decision comes following the promise made in their manifesto to allow easy access to political participation for youngsters.
The party officials stressed the urgency of this reform, citing parliamentary reports that talked about the voter turnout at the 2024 general election to be the lowest at a general election since 2001. The officials further added that they intend to lower the voting age to align voting rights across the UK with Scotland and Wales, where younger voters already get to participate in the elections.
“I think it’s really important that 16 and 17-year-olds have the vote, because they are old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes, ” the UK Prime Minister told the BBC.
Minister for Democracy, Rushanara Ali, said the move reflects a “generational step forward in making the electoral system more representative and accessible. “Many 16-year-olds are already contributing to society by working, paying taxes, even joining the armed forces. Giving them a say in how the country is run is a natural extension of these responsibilities,” she said.
Multiple reforms in the pipeline
In addition to lowering the voting age, the government is also planning a gradual move toward automatic voter registration, reducing administrative burdens on citizens and increasing participation.
The reforms further plan to extend acceptable voter IDs to include UK-issued bank cards along with digital formats of existing IDs, such as driving licences and Veteran Cards.