Sixteen Year-Olds Allowed to Vote in England

Coming of age

By Evan Gorelick

NY Times

July 18, 2025

Lowering the Voting Age: Global Shifts and Youth Empowerment

In a significant shift poised to impact future elections, Britain is preparing to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds—potentially adding up to 1.5 million new voters before the next general election. This move has ignited fierce political debate, with liberal leaders celebrating the potential for broader civic engagement and conservative voices cautioning against what they see as a politically motivated expansion of the electorate.

This development places the UK among a growing list of nations reconsidering the traditional voting age. Since Brazil pioneered the change in 1988, other countries such as Austria, Argentina, and Malta have followed suit, and Germany and Belgium have introduced voting rights for younger citizens in specific elections. The central question underlying these shifts is: When does civic responsibility begin?

Psychological and Political Considerations

From a developmental standpoint, research in psychology suggests that by age 16, most adolescents possess the cognitive abilities to make informed voting choices. Although they may still exhibit impulsive behaviors in high-risk situations, voting—unlike purchasing alcohol or firearms—is a reflective activity that involves expressing personal values and preferences.

This distinction has led experts to conclude that civic engagement does not require the same level of maturity as other adult privileges. Thus, the argument that 16-year-olds are intellectually and morally unprepared to vote holds less weight when compared to evidence from neuroscience and behavioral studies.

Yet, lowering the voting age often intersects with political motives. Young voters generally lean left, prompting liberal parties to advocate for their inclusion, while conservatives may resist, viewing the expansion as an electoral advantage for their opponents. In Britain, the center-left party is expected to benefit from this influx of youthful voters, raising concerns over the politicization of democratic participation.

Fostering Lifelong Civic Habits

One compelling reason cited by advocates is the potential to increase long-term voter turnout. Studies show that when individuals begin voting at an earlier age, they are more likely to continue voting throughout adulthood. This habit-forming aspect of early participation could help reverse declining turnout trends observed in democracies around the world.

Moreover, granting young people the vote may encourage policymakers to address their concerns more directly. Issues such as education, climate change, and job opportunities disproportionately affect younger populations, yet their voices often go unheard in traditional policy discussions. Lowering the voting age can increase political responsiveness and inclusion.

The U.S. Context

In the United States, the national voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1971 with the passage of the 26th Amendment, a direct result of Vietnam War-era protests. Since then, federal voting laws have remained unchanged, but several cities have taken steps toward more inclusive local election policies.

Takoma Park, Maryland, made history in 2013 as the first American city to allow 16-year-olds to vote in municipal elections. Following the change, these young voters turned out at rates significantly higher than their older counterparts. Similar initiatives are underway in cities like Jersey City, New Jersey, and Newark, where 16- and 17-year-olds have been allowed to vote in school board elections, though turnout has varied.

As 17-year-old Janhitha Veeramachaneni from Jersey City pointed out, young people already contribute to society through taxes and labor and are directly affected by public policy. Their desire to participate in shaping the future is a logical extension of their growing responsibilities.

Conclusion

The debate over lowering the voting age is far from settled, but the movement is gaining global momentum. Proponents argue that the change aligns democratic participation with adolescent capacity and modern civic life. Detractors worry about political opportunism and question young voters’ readiness. Still, as more nations and municipalities experiment with youth enfranchisement, the evidence increasingly suggests that 16-year-olds can, and often do, make thoughtful voters.

Source: Gorelick, Evan. “Coming of Age.” The New York Times, July 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/briefing/uk-voting-age.html

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com