Labour leader Keir Starmer's administration stated that it will seek to reduce voting requirements amid electoral reform
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The government of the United Kingdomplans to lower the minimum voting age to 16 years in general elections, according to Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali.
This measure will be part of a new electoral bill that will include other significant changes to the electoral system. Ali described this reform as a "seismic" change, as it would ensure that young people's voices are heard in national politics.
Meanwhile, as in much of the world, progressive sectors have captured the attention of the younger population, so this measure is seen as a mechanism to perpetuate the Labour Party in power.
Currently, in Scotland and Wales, 16- and 17-year-olds can already vote in local elections and in the regional parliaments. However, in elections to the United Kingdom Parliament, as well as in local elections in England and all elections in Northern Ireland, the minimum voting age remains 18 years.
If this proposal is approved, it would be the largest modification of the electorate since the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 years in 1969.
La ministra de Democracia del Reino Unido confirmó la noticia junto con otros cambios en el sistema electoral
The reduction of the voting age was one of the promises included in the Labour Party's electoral manifesto, although it was not mentioned in the King's speech last summer. Ali stated that the government's goal is to implement this change before the next general elections, scheduled for 2029, but which could be called earlier.
Ali argued that 16-year-olds can already work, pay taxes, and join the Army, so they should also be able to choose their representatives. According to her, allowing their electoral participation will force politicians to "pay more attention to issues that concern young people," such as education, employment, housing, and crime.
The new electoral bill also contemplates other reforms, such as the expansion of the types of valid identification for voting in Great Britain. The use of UK-issued bank cards containing the voter's name, including digital cards, will be permitted.
Si bien estos cambios estaban anunciados, no fueron mencionados en el discurso del rey
Although the Labour Party opposed the introduction of voter ID under the Conservative government in 2023, its current position is to review the inconsistencies without completely eliminating the policy. According to the Electoral Commission, 4% of voters who did not participate in the last elections attributed it to identification restrictions.
Ali stated that the implementation of the new forms of identification will be carried out gradually to prevent fraud or errors. It was also announced that the government will work on an automatic voter registration system, with mechanisms that allow citizens to verify and control their registration status.
Currently, citizens must actively register, either online or by mail. The Electoral Commission estimates that about seven million people are incorrectly registered or are not listed on the electoral roll at all, especially young people and private renters. The proposal is for institutions such as the Passport Office to share data with those responsible for the electoral register to facilitate automatic registration.
Finally, the government aims to strengthen the rules on political donations to prevent "foreign interference." Although currently only donations from people on the electoral register or companies registered and active in the United Kingdom are allowed, there are legal loopholes that have raised concern.
Ali señaló que también implementarán cambios para evitar los casos de fraude
