Children are traditionally excluded from the right to vote, with a few exceptions, such as in countries where the voting age is sixteen. The main reason is the belief that children lack the competencies necessary to make informed decisions. However, several arguments suggest that lowering the voting age to sixteen, and even to six or zero, could be beneficial not only as a matter of children’s rights but also for democratic representation. Schools and youth engagement mechanisms such as the National Youth Councils (NYCs) have a significant impact in facilitating young people’s political participation.
Children’s right to vote as a citizenship right
The right to vote is a fundamental citizenship right that should extend to all individuals, including children. If children are impacted by decisions made by politicians, they should have a say in who makes those decisions. Ensuring democratic inclusion means hearing all voices, not just those of adults. (Runciman, 2021).
The enfranchisement of children is not only good for children because of their own rights, but it could also be good in terms of democratic representation. One democratic principle is that everybody who is impacted by the collective decision should have a say and should be able to have their voice heard in the process (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023).
If it is argued that children do not share the life of the community in the same way as adults, because they do not earn, pay tax, or perform public service, it is important to underline that those prerequisites of enfranchisement were abandoned a long time ago. Today, adults vote regardless of whether they pay taxes, contribute to public services, or rely on government support. The right to vote is not contingent on one’s individual contributions but rather rooted in the shared experiences that bind us as members of society (Runciman, 2021).
Voting age around the world
Children are traditionally excluded from the right to vote, based on the argument that they are not mature enough to make reasoned and autonomous decisions. However, this approach has been questioned in recent years, and some States recognise the right to vote for persons below the age of eighteen (FRA, 2017).
Legal voting age sixteen
The legal voting age for Nicaragua, Scotland, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Cuba, Brazil, and Austria is sixteen. Moreover, in Estonia and Malta, children are entitled to vote in local elections from the age of sixteen and the same applies to local and regional elections in certain regions of Germany (Länder) and the United Kingdom (Scotland). (FRA, 2017). Belgium was the latest EU country to introduce a law extending the voting rights for the European elections to sixteen and seventeen-year-olds (Elections Europa, 2024).
Legal voting age seventeen
Countries whose legal voting age is seventeen are Sudan, South Sudan, North Korea, Indonesia, Greece, and East Timor. Even though the voting age in Indonesia is seventeen years old, married persons are required to vote regardless of their age (WorldAtlas, n.d.).
Legal voting age eighteen
The legal voting age for most countries is eighteen. Over one hundred nations are in this category including Afghanistan, China, Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Comoros, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Lebanon, Marshall Islands, Macedonia, Mauritania, Kenya, Mongolia, Philippines, Saint Helena, Tanzania, United States, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Japan, Italy, and many others (WorldAtlas, n.d.).
Legal voting age nineteen
South Korea is the only country in which the legal voting age for citizens is nineteen years (WorldAtlas, n.d.).
Legal voting age twenty or above
The countries whose legal voting age is twenty include Nauru, Taiwan, and Bahrain. On the other hand, those states that can vote when 21 years or older are Oman, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Singapore, Malaysia, Kuwait, Jersey, and Cameroon. The United Arab Emirates has the oldest legal voting age in the world. Citizens can only vote when they reach the age of 25 or older (WorldAtlas, n.d.). Italy has set the age of 25 years as a requirement to vote for the Senate (FRA, 2017).
The arguments for lowering the voting age
Opponents argue that children lack the competence to make informed decisions, but many adults also struggle with complex policies, making it inconsistent to set higher standards for children (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023). Voting is linked to responsibilities like paying taxes, holding office, and serving on juries—rights that children are excluded from despite being subject to laws (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023). Unlike the enfranchisement of women, the goal isn’t for children to hold office but to have their voices heard (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023).
Research by Mark Franklin emphasizes that an individual’s first voting experience influences their future engagement, making early voting critical for fostering long-term civic participation. Franklin suggests that children aged 15 or 16 are better positioned to vote than older teenagers, as they are more embedded in supportive networks and structured environments like school (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023).
In addition, studies show that children care more about environmental issues, which they are more directly affected by, such as the consequences of fast fashion (Runciman, 2021). Young people actively engage in climate change initiatives and protests, advocating for policy shifts, changes in consumer habits, and greener solutions. Including children in political discourse would ensure their priorities are represented in society, thus strengthening democracy.
Voting at age 6 or even 0?
David Runciman, Professor of Politics at Cambridge University, argues for lowering the voting age to six. According to him, six is a nice round number which corresponds to the age that children reach, not the age of competence, but the ability to go to school, which he considers it be the minimal threshold we want them to pass (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023).
“I’ve just spent the last few months working in a primary school in Cambridge with children, discussing with them not citizenship or anything like that, but just their attitude to the fact that they’re not allowed to vote. And the thing I mainly came away with is that schools are actually a great place to engage even six-year-olds with democratic politics. They are a safe place, it’s quite a sort of lively and friendly experience for the kids. (…) Teachers, education is a good framework for democratic politics”.
– David Runciman (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023).
Jonathan Bernstein, a political scientist, has suggested another option: to lower the voting age to 0 and consider the right to vote as a human right or a birthright. However, it would be incredibly complicated as very young children lack not only the competence but also the manual ability to express their vote. In this case, it would be up to parents to vote for them and this process would imply the use of proxy systems which filter the right to vote (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023).
Moreover, the biggest issue that arises is that allowing a parent to vote for their child goes against the rule of one person, one vote (Crippes, 2011). Hence, although the right to vote could be considered a fundamental right, its practical implications prevent the possibility of considering it as a birthright. This aspect requires governments to set a minimum age to exercise the right to vote which is linked to a minimum set of competencies and knowledge children should have to express their views.
The impact of lowering the voting age
There is limited available data on the consequences of lowering the voting age to sixteen, as few electoral cycles have passed since countries adopted this approach. However, the early data that does exist is fairly consistent.
Studies from a municipal election in the United States, and national elections in Austria, show that sixteen and seventeen-year-olds are keen political participants and that voting at an early age is habit-forming. Socialized into a culture of political participation, sixteen to seventeen-year-old voters may become more politically active in later life than those who don’t vote until they are eighteen or nineteen (The Body Shop, 2022).
In Austria, one of the first countries to lower the voting age in 2007, the youth voter turnout has increased in line with trust in democratic processes, and the voting patterns of people under eighteen are similar to, or the same as, those of older people. This indicates that young people do have the willingness, knowledge and capacity to engage with difficult political choices and that lowering the voting age is not linked to specific party politics. (The Body Shop, 2022).
Another possible risk is linked to the fact that young people could be easily manipulated by adults such as politicians or their parents. However, evidence backs the notion that young people are enthusiastic and interested in the world they live in and that lowering the voting age will further support their active participation. Broadening the electorate to young people over sixteen years will make political decision-making more fair, inclusive and representative of the wider population.
Where to begin? The role of schools
Children are not immune to politics. Although it should be kept out of schools, the environment in which children live is made up of adult role models who discuss and live the consequences of politics. Hence, it is impossible to keep children out of politics, but rather it is important to give them the tools to navigate this aspect of life. Bringing politics into schools wouldn’t make schools worse; on the contrary, it would make politics better, as the protection of children is seriously taken into account in these contexts (Runciman, 2021).
The school environment is a safe place for children to safely express their views and opinions and to develop skills and knowledge according to their age and abilities. It is important to give them the opportunity to talk more about politics and to form their own independent views. And for that, it would require dramatic changes in the teaching system, because in many countries, including France, teachers are not allowed to talk about politics in schools (Van der Straeten, Runciman, 2023).
Civic education is one important way to facilitate knowledge of how public institutions work. If young people are expected to be politically engaged, they need to receive all the support they require. A recent study on the decrease in overall political engagement in the United States shows that schools have a significant influence in facilitating relevant knowledge through civic education classes that explain how public institutions work, embedding democratic values and principles within young people early in their lives (The Body Shop, 2022).
However, not everyone has equal access to those opportunities, which often further disadvantage young people who are already marginalized, such as young women and girls, youths with disabilities, Indigenous youths, and those living in rural areas or crisis-affected territories (The Body Shop, 2022).
Young people’s meaningful participation at all levels
Today, decisions that affect young people’s lives are made locally, nationally and globally. Developing independent and sustainable youth participation mechanisms that are based on single issues can have a positive influence on youth voter turnout at large and will likely help to remove barriers for young political candidates (The Body Shop, 2022).
Local and national level
National Youth Councils (NYCs) have a significant impact in facilitating young people’s political participation at the national level, serving as a link between youth and decision-makers. These networks, mostly comprising youth organizations, student unions and national youth parliaments, are sometimes officially recognized by the national government as one of the main ways to incorporate youth perspectives in relevant government decisions.
In some instances, decision-makers prefer to liaise with youth representatives from NYCs due to their legitimacy, as well as their representative nature. They do not just represent young people, but also youth organizations (The Body Shop, 2022).
In aiming to increase youth participation in political decision-making, it’s important not to overlook the local level. Just as at the national level, local youth participation in this arena can be diverse, reflecting local issues, participation mechanisms and access to resources (The Body Shop, 2022).
International level
Young people’s political participation is not limited by national borders. International and intergovernmental institutions, such as the United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union, among others, to a large extent make decisions that can, in ideal cases, influence young people’s lives. But for young people, getting involved in these forums can be significantly more complex than participating close to home (The Body Shop, 2022).
International youth organizations and movements, such as the Scouts, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the European Youth Forum, Fridays For Future, the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organisations (ICMYO), and many others, support participation by acting as a link between young people and these institutions.
The national branches of these organizations also help to reduce the gap between the local and international levels. Furthermore, they’re well-equipped to provide young people with the necessary knowledge and support to participate in complex and potentially intimidating international political institutions (The Body Shop, 2022).
Steps to ensure children’s voices are heard in policy
To advance the needs and rights of young people and ensure that youth voices are meaningfully heard within public life and decision-making, efforts that promote policy and legislation changes should be supported (The Body Shop, 2022).
For instance, in May 2022, the European Parliament tabled a proposal for a Council regulation on the election of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) by direct universal suffrage and it proposed to lower the voting age to sixteen, even if allowing for exceptions for ‘existing constitutional orders establishing a minimum voting age of eighteen or seventeen years of age’ (EU, Voting age, 2024).
NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs) have also been calling for this change for years. For instance, the European Youth Forum has been strongly advocating lowering the voting age to sixteen for local, national and European elections and bridging the gap between young generations and our elected politicians (European Youth Forum, 2024).
In practical terms, implementing comprehensive civic education programmes for youth and establishing formal, transparent and diverse youth engagement mechanisms at local, national and international levels could promote children and young people’s interests and needs through their own voices (The Body Shop, 2022).
Written by Arianna Braga
Internally proofread by Aditi Partha
Last updated on 19 January 2025
References:
Crippes N. (2011). What if the Right to Vote Started at Birth? Retrieved from Fair Vote at https://fairvote.org/what-if-the-right-to-vote-started-at-birth/, accessed on 19 January 2025.
EU, Voting age (2024). Voting age for European elections. Retrieved from European Parliament at https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2023/749767/EPRS_ATA(2023)749767_EN.pdf, accessed on 4 April 2024.
European Youth Forum (2024). Vote at 16. Retrieved from European Youth Forum at https://www.youthforum.org/topics/vote-at-16, accessed on 4 April 2024.
FRA (2017). Children’s right to vote. Retrieved from Fundamental Agency for Fundament Rights (FRA) at https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2017/mapping-minimum-age-requirements/childrens-right-vote, accessed on 30 January 2024.
Runciman, D. (2021). Votes for children! Why we should lower the voting age to six. Retrieved from The Guardian at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/nov/16/reconstruction-after-covid-votes-for-children-age-six-david-runciman, accessed on 30 January 2024.
The Body Shop (2022). Be Seen Be Heard. Understanding young people’s political participation. The research paper is commissioned by The Body Shop in collaboration with and with technical assistance from the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth. Retrieved from the European Youth Forum at https://www.youthforum.org/files/UPDATED_UN_REPORT_TBS_Accessible_Version_090622.pdf, accessed on 30 January 2024.
Van der Straeten, K., Runciman, D. (2023). Should children have the right to vote? (Transcript). Retrieved from Bennett Institute for Public Policy at https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/should-children-have-the-right-to-vote/, accessed on 30 January 2024.
WorldAtlas (n.d.). Legal Voting Age by Country. Retrieved from WorldAtlas at https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/legal-voting-age-by-country.html, accessed on 30 January 2024.
