The below Council Motion comes from Hull Liberal Democrats. It looks ahead to 16 and 17 year olds being given the right to vote in all UK elections (including Westminster elections and English local elections).
16 year olds to be given right to vote through election reforms – GOV.UK
Local Councils have a role to play to support young people to use their right to vote, and help them to become more active in civic life. This council motion has many local calls to action help young people become more engaged in voting.
Even for councils in Wales and Scotland – where 16 and 17 year olds can already vote in local or devolved elections – the extension of this right to all elections can be used to instigate more outreach to young people.
Council notes that:
- The Liberal Democrats in [AREA NAME] welcome the UK Government’s announcement to reduce the voting age from 18 to 16 for all UK elections, bringing Westminster elections and local elections in England in line with Scotland and Wales and a policy change that we have long been calling for.
- Many 16 and 17 year-olds in [AREA NAME] are already active citizens. Studying, working, volunteering, and paying taxes, yet have no formal say in how decisions affecting them are made.
- Engaging young people early in the democratic process helps to build lifelong participation and trust in public institutions.
Council believes that:
- Lowering the voting age to 16 will strengthen democracy and ensure that young people’s voices are represented.
- Local Authorities have a key role in supporting democratic education and participation among young residents.
- Practical local action now will help ensure a smooth and inclusive transition when the new voting age is introduced.
Council therefore resolves to:
- Support the principle of votes at 16 and welcome the Government’s commitment to extending the franchise to 16 and 17 year-olds.
- Ask the Leader to write to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and [AREA NAME’s] Members of Parliament to express this Council’s support for the reform.
- Ask the Executive to work with local schools; colleges; the Youth Council, and community organisations to promote understanding of local democracy and voter registration among 16 and 17 year olds, and encourage participation through youth forums, mock elections, and civic education initiatives.
- Ask the Executive to request Officers to prepare a brief report on the Council’s readiness for the lower voting age, including outreach and registration plans, to be presented to Cabinet and the Overview Scrutiny Management Committee.
- Ask the Executive to explore the development of a series of Citizens’ Assemblies in [AREA NAME], representative forums where residents come together to discuss key local issues and make recommendations to the Council, with a particular focus on engaging young people and first-time voters to strengthen participation and trust in local democracy.