The Children Are Our Future

For some years now, the taxpayer-funded National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) has been campaigning to extend the voting franchise to 16-year-olds. Extending the vote in Dáil and Presidential elections would require a constitutional amendment and therefore a referendum. Consequently, for the time being at least, the change is being sought only for local and European elections, as these can be reformed through simple changes to statute law without needing a nationwide referendum.

On the organization’s website, the NYCI lists nine reasons why they believe 16-year-olds should be granted at least a limited vote. Here are just two to give you a flavour of their arguments:

1. Why Not? If a 16-year-old can leave school, seek full-time employment, pay taxes, and obtain a licence to drive a tractor, why should they not be entrusted with the civic responsibility of voting? The youth sections of the main political parties allow young people to join at either 15 or 16, recognizing the capacity and importance of engaging young people as early as possible. If political parties themselves value their participation, why shouldn’t they be allowed to vote?
2. Mature Enough. The NYCI rejects the argument that people under 18 lack the maturity to make informed voting decisions. The age of majority in the Republic of Ireland is currently 18. At that age, individuals can run for local government, marry, serve on juries, and vote in all elections. However, the NYCI argues that there is no considerable difference between the mental capacities of an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old. A 16-year-old is perfectly capable of informing themselves about issues that affect their lives and engaging in the political process.

The campaign has gained some traction among political progressives and those on the left. Notably, Senator Malcolm Byrne from the government’s Fianna Fáil party has been a prominent supporter of the idea. In 2021, he introduced a private members’ bill alongside Senators Mary Fitzpatrick and Erin McGreehan. The bill, entitled An Act to Reduce to Sixteen Years the Age at Which a Person is Entitled to Be Registered as a European Parliament and Local Government Elector, sought to lower the voting age for European and local elections.

Senator Byrne expressed optimism about the bill, saying, “My hope is for the Bill to continue progressing so the change will come into effect in time for the local and European elections in 2024. I believe the timeline is enough for a lead-in to deal with all of the issues and engage in that programme of political education.” He pointed to examples of other countries, such as Brazil, Scotland, and Wales, which had successfully lowered the voting age and noted that studies show encouraging young people to vote at 16 or 17 leads them to become habitual voters throughout their lives. Byrne added, “Young people have led the charge on a broad range of political issues, from climate change and biodiversity to human rights, and they deserve to be involved to a far greater extent in our electoral process.”

Unfortunately for advocates of the bill, it has faced delays. Despite reaching its second stage in the Seanad in November 2023, it seems unlikely that the changes will be implemented in time for the June 2024 elections. Cabinet support has been less than enthusiastic. Norma Foley, Minister for Education, said she was open to measures that would “empower” young people, including considering a reduction in the voting age. However, her lukewarm endorsement lacked urgency. Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Foley remarked: “I think it’s a discussion worth having. For example, I know a number of years ago it was suggested that perhaps you would begin with the local elections and then move forward or whatever.” Her language—“discussion worth having” and “no harm in having discussions”—is well known in Irish political circles as diplomatic phrases used to avoid fully committing to a proposal.

In recent days, bad news for the project came from an unexpected source. The Irish Ombudsman for Children commissioned a survey of 1,036 secondary school children aged 12 to 18, which found strong support for giving young people a greater voice in education and politics. However, when asked specifically about lowering the voting age to 16, half of those surveyed said they did not believe 16-year-olds should be given the vote. Only 38% were in favour, while 12% were undecided. While this result doesn’t necessarily kill the campaign, it suggests that even young people themselves are divided on the issue.

Of course, even if further polling shows that younger people do not want the vote, this doesn’t automatically mean that the movement will lose steam. Some advocates might argue that young people, like the working class, might be displaying a form of “false consciousness”—that is, they may not fully understand what is in their best interests. There is also a cynical observation often made by opponents of the campaign: the belief that 16- and 17-year-old voters would likely tilt toward the political left, fuelling some of the enthusiasm for lowering the voting age. Many progressives see young people as aligned with their values on issues like climate change, social justice, and human rights, and believe that engaging them politically could yield a new generation of left-leaning voters.

However, advocates should tread carefully. While it’s true that young women in particular tend to lean progressive, some recent electoral data suggests a different trend among young men. In the 2022 French election, for example, Marine Le Pen performed remarkably well with the 18-to-24-year-old demographic. Similar trends have been observed in the United States and across continental Europe, where a segment of young men are increasingly drawn to populist, right-wing politics. This trend, combined with the influence of online forums and the rise of anti-establishment sentiments among youth, poses a potential risk for advocates of lowering the voting age. While they may expect new voters to lean left, they could unintentionally open the door to a sizable group of new voters who support more conservative or right-wing policies.

Furthermore, with the rise of far-right parties in many European countries, it’s worth considering whether lowering the voting age could have unintended consequences. Ireland’s political class, like much of Europe, is increasingly concerned about the rise of far-right movements, and any move that might bolster support for such groups would likely face strong resistance. As young men become more politically engaged through the internet and social media, it’s possible that they could use their newfound voting power to support populist or anti-establishment candidates.

In conclusion, while the campaign to lower the voting age to 16 has made some progress, it faces significant challenges. Support from the government has been tepid, and even among young people, there is no clear consensus on the issue. Advocates argue that 16-year-olds are mature enough to vote, pointing to their access to political education and the internet as evidence of their ability to make informed decisions. However, the recent survey commissioned by the Irish Ombudsman for Children suggests that the idea is far from universally popular among young people themselves. Moreover, the political implications of expanding the electorate to include 16- and 17-year-olds are complex, particularly given the changing political preferences of young voters across Europe. While some see this move as a way to encourage greater engagement from progressive young people, others worry it could lead to the rise of more right-wing, populist sentiments among the youth. As this debate continues, it remains to be seen whether Ireland will join the ranks of countries like Scotland and Wales in lowering its voting age, or whether the project will stall in the face of political and public opposition.