Why Votes at 16?
We all know what 16 and 17 year olds can do, from getting married to joining the army to paying national insurance. 16 year olds already contribute to society in so many ways so why can’t they vote? The perceived problem is that young people will not go out and vote and furthermore don’t have the intellectual maturity to make an informed political decision.
Let’s dispel this myth about political apathy once and for all. Votes at 16 can achieve one major step forward that will open the doors to a whole world of citizenship; it will empower young people to engage with the political process. Until the voting age is lowered we will see 16 and 17 year olds desperate to get their views heard but constrained by a society that gives them every civic responsibility except the most fundamental.
Do we want a society in which every adult has a say or do we want a society that perpetuates political apathy? Pledge your support for Votes at 16 here, and find out how you can start your own Votes at 16 campaigns by reading this briefing.