Overview

This bill proposes lowering the voting age to 16 for all elections and referendums in the UK. It also mandates automatic voter registration for 16-24 year olds and explores making voting more accessible for this age group, potentially by using educational institutions as polling places.

Description

The bill makes several key changes:

• Lowering the Voting Age: The voting age will be reduced from 18 to 16 for all parliamentary and local elections, and all referendums across the UK.
• Automatic Voter Registration: All 16-year-old students will be automatically registered to vote. A report will be commissioned to assess how to automatically register all other 16-24 year olds.
• Polling Place Accessibility: A report will be commissioned to assess how to improve voting accessibility for 16-24 year olds, including exploring the use of educational establishments as polling places, potentially with adjusted opening hours.

The bill allows for the creation of regulations to implement these changes, subject to parliamentary approval. Some sections of the bill will come into force six months after its passing, while others will come into effect after 12 months or at a later date following publication of the relevant reports.

Government Spending

The bill states that any expenditure incurred in implementing its provisions will be met from money provided by Parliament. No specific figures are provided.

Groups Affected

• 16 and 17-year-olds: Will gain the right to vote in all elections and referendums.
• 16-24 year-olds: Will be affected by the automatic registration proposals and potential changes to polling place accessibility.
• Schools and Educational Establishments: May be involved in voter registration processes and potentially used as polling stations.
• Electoral Registration Officers: Will have additional responsibilities under the proposed automatic registration scheme.

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