Should voting age be lowered to 16? UK's big move may spark debate in India, worldwide
UK's plan for big change comes 6 decades after earlier reduction from 21 to 18; India did that in 1989, through the 61st Amendment to the Constitution
The British government has announced that the voting age for all elections in the country will lowered to 16 from the existing 18 years before the next general election.
The UK's new move comes nearly six decades after the earlier reduction from 21 to 18 in 1969. India did that only in 1989, through the 61st Amendment to the Constitution.
New debates about the age criterion may now emerge in democracies around the world as the UK lists many reasons for its decision.
‘Old enough to work…’
UK's Labour government argues that bringing it down further to 16 will “break down barriers to participation” and "ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy".
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer cited laws that allow the younger citizens to take up jobs at 16. "They're old enough to go out to work, they're old enough to pay taxes ... and I think if you pay [taxes], you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on," he told a TV news channel.
What about voting age in India?
In India, The Constitution (Sixty-first Amendment) Act of 1988, ratified and sealed in 1989, lowered the voting age from 21 years of age to 18.
The amendment was to Article 326, which is currently in the news as the Election Commission carries out a voter roll revision in Bihar ahead of the 2025 assembly elections.
The amendment proposal cited that many countries had already specified 18 as the voting age, and that some Indian states too allowed voting at 18 in local elections.
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“The present-day youth are literate and enlightened and the lowering of the voting age would provide to the unrepresented youth of the country an opportunity to give vent to their feelings and help them become a part of the political process. The present-day youth are very much politically conscious,” it reasoned.
There is talk currently of changes and reforms in the poll process, such as the plan for ‘one nation, one election’. But voting age is not the subject of a major public discussion in India at present.
What about others?
As for the rest of the world, Austria in Europe and Brazil and South America are among the bigger of the few countries that allow voting at 16.
Around the middle of the 20th century — to whatever extent democracy existed around the world — voting age was mostly 21. Gradually, it moved down to 18 in most countries by the beginning of the 21st century.
Research from several countries has shown lowering the voting age may have no impact on election outcomes, but that 16-year-olds were more likely to vote than those first eligible at 18, Reuters reported.
What are the numbers in UK?
In the UK, once approved by parliament, the reform will uniformise the voting age across the country as Scotland and Wales already allow 16- and 17-year-olds to participate in local elections.
Back-of-the-envelope calculations show that if all 1.6 million 16/17-year-olds in the UK register to vote, there will be about 3% increase in total voters.
This math may change a bit as the next general election is due in 2029. Snap polls are unlikely as Keir Starmer has a big majority for now.
Low turnout or low popularity?
Low voter turnout is being cited as a reason. In the 2024 UK general elections, polling was under 60%, the lowest since 2001. Also, studies show younger voters are more likely to exercise their franchise.
Agencies report that the move may also be linked to PM Starmer's falling popularity against a right-wing resurgence. And he has high hopes from the younger lot.
A recent survey by a major TV station showed that Labour was more popular among 16- and 17-year-olds: 33% of them said they'd vote Labour; 20% chose the right-wing Reform Party, and so on.
