Overview

This bill proposes lowering the voting age in the United Kingdom from 18 to 16 for all elections and referendums. This would grant the right to vote to all citizens aged 16 and over.

Description

The Voting Age (Comprehensive Reduction) Bill amends existing legislation to reduce the voting age. Specifically:

• Representation of the People Act 1983: The bill alters sections 1(1)(d) and 2(1)(d), changing the definition of "voting age" from 18 to 16 for parliamentary and local government elections respectively.
• Representation of the People Act 1985: Section 1(5), concerning the voting rights of overseas electors, is amended to lower the voting age from 18 to 16.

The bill's short title is the Voting Age (Comprehensive Reduction) Act 2013, and it is scheduled to come into force on January 1st, 2014. It applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify any changes to government spending. However, there may be some indirect costs associated with updating electoral registers and voter information materials to reflect the change in voting age.

Groups Affected

The main groups affected are:

• 16 and 17-year-olds: They would gain the right to vote in all elections and referendums.
• Political parties: They would need to adapt their campaigning strategies to engage a wider electorate.
• Electoral Commission: They would be responsible for implementing the changes to the electoral system.

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