Lowering the voting age motion success welcomed

Sinn Féin West Tyrone MLA Michaela Boyle has welcomed the support for a motion in the Assembly calling for the voting age to be lowered to 16.

Ms. Boyle said, “Sinn Féin proposed a motion in conjunction with the Green Party calling for the voting age to be lowered to 16 years and I am delighted that it has been passed. As elected representatives, we make decisions every day that impact heavily on young people and many of these decisions will have a long term effect on their future, yet they have no say in who represents them in areas such as the Assembly or local Councils. There is a global and European momentum towards extending the right to vote to young people at 16 and 17 years old. A historic decision has been taken in Scotland to allow 16 and 17 years olds to participate in a crucial referendum on Scottish independence; it is time that all elections and referenda held on the island of Ireland were made equally open to young people. While this first step has been passed we need to encourage more support so that we can see a similar motion in the British House of Commons and ensure young people’s engagement in any further elections.”