16-year-olds to be given vote at next election in landmark change
Voting age begins at 16 in next UK election in ‘seismic’ shift
- The government has announced that 16 and 17-year-olds will be granted the right to vote in the next general election.
- This change will align UK-wide elections with existing rules in Scotland and Wales, coming into effect by summer 2029 at the latest.
- Ministers, including deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, justify the move by stating that 16-year-olds work, pay taxes, and serve in the military, aiming to boost democratic engagement.
- The reform has drawn criticism from other political parties, who accuse Keir Starmer of attempting to rig future elections.
- Alongside the voting age change, new rules will include accepting UK-issued bank cards as ID, automating voter registration, and implementing tougher measures against foreign political interference and finance rule breaches.