Make democracy fairer: lower the voting age to 16 for local government elections say SA young people.
A poll of more than 769 secondary school students reveals half believe the voting age for local government elections should be lowered from 18 to 16 years, with two thirds saying they would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ vote if it was.
The poll also revealed young people’s reasons for wanting to vote from a younger age including having an opportunity to ‘have a voice on what goes on in local government’ and having ‘a say on the future of the country by participating in electing the people that represent us best’.
Members of the SA SRC’s Our Future Our Vote campaign undertook the poll to ensure their view ‘that young people want to exercise their right to have a say on the decisions being made about the world they live in’ is representative of their peers.
As the generation who will be shaped by decisions being made now, the poll responses show that secondary school age students are keen to have their perspectives and experiences, which are different to those of older generations, considered.
Read the full Media Release here.
Read the full position brief here.
