Petition · Cabinet Office

Lower the voting age to 16 for general elections

Closed 565 signatures

What the petition asks

We believe 16 and 17-year-olds have no say in their own future. Despite the profound impact that government policies could have on our lives, we feel the voices of our generation remain unheard. According to the Office for National Statistics, there are 1.6 million people aged 16-17.
They could be included in the electorate if the voting age was lowered to 16. By denying them the right to vote, we believe the government is systematically silencing the voices of individuals who could be personally affected by their policies.

16 and 17 year olds can vote in Welsh and Scottish elections. We believe that all 16 and 17 year olds should be able to vote in general elections.

Timeline

19 Nov 2024 Petition opened for signatures
19 May 2025 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 565
Status Closed
Department Cabinet Office
Opened 19 Nov 2024
Closed 19 May 2025

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 3 Aug 2026.