Overview

This bill proposes to lower the voting age in the United Kingdom from 18 to 16 for all elections and referendums.

Description

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

• Parliamentary Elections: The Representation of the People Act 1983 is altered to change the voting age from 18 to 16 for parliamentary elections.
• Local Government Elections: The Representation of the People Act 1983 is also amended to lower the voting age for local government elections to 16.
• Overseas Electors: The Representation of the People Act 1985 is amended to reduce the voting age for overseas electors to 16.
• Referendums: Although not explicitly stated, the bill's title implies that the voting age for referendums would also be lowered to 16.
• Effective Date: The bill specifies that the changes would come into effect on January 1st, 2015 (note this date is from the original bill and may not be current).
• Geographic Scope: The bill applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Government Spending

The bill does not directly specify any government spending. The costs associated with the changes (e.g., updating voter registration systems) would likely be minimal and absorbed within existing budgets.

Groups Affected

The primary groups affected are:

• 16 and 17-year-olds: They would gain the right to vote in all elections and referendums.
• Political Parties: Parties would need to adapt their campaigning strategies to engage a wider electorate.
• Election Officials: Voter registration and election administration processes would need minor adjustments.

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