UK Lowers Voting Age to 16 Ahead of Next General Elections

Want to save American democracy? Let teens vote.

American democracy is in a fragile state. It would help to give younger people a chance to participate in the electoral process.

The dawn of TikTok politics

With the public mood febrile, Labour is focused on what really matters — votes at 16. The Government has unsurprisingly framed the shift in terms of inclusivity, with Sir Keir Starmer arguing it’s “really important” that teenagers old enough to work and pay taxes can also choose their leaders. That’s debatable: there are plenty of things, from fighting in a war to driving, that 16-year-olds still can’t do. Either way, if Starmer imagines his ele…

How giving the vote to 16-year-olds could open the door to splitting up the Union

Allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in general elections could open the doors to splitting up the Union, as new polling has predicted the SNP is on track for a major resurgence in Scotland

Should the voting age be lowered or raised and what about a top limit?

In MetroTalk: Readers discuss voting ages,advocating for nature and the warmth of wine(Picture: Getty Images/fStop) Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments. An upper age limit for voters? Regarding Labour’s announcement that the voting age will be lowered from 18 to 16 for the next general election (Metro, Fri). The young are more invested in the future of this country tha…

'Old enough to pay tax, old enough to vote': Inverclyde's MSYPs on voting age change

Inverclyde's representatives at the Scottish Youth Parliament have welcomed the decision to lower the voting age for general elections to…

Cynical though Labour's move on votes at sixteen is, it's wrong because of consistency not competency

“Hands up those who think they should have the vote?” Oddly, having checked, I find I asked this question to a room of sixteen year olds, sixteen years ago on the sixteenth of the month. There is however no voodoo to the result. Half of the thirty or so teenagers (so, about sixteen of them!) said yes, the other half were a quite convinced no. I can’t remember which way it broke but it was damn close to 52 to 48 percent. Funny how often that happ…