Petition · Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Don't lower the voting age to 16
Closed
2,420 signatures
What the petition asks
We urge the Government not to extend the voting franchise to 16 and 17 year olds in all UK elections, including general elections. We think that the voting age should exist in line with the age of adulthood.
We think the proposed changes to the voting age would be detrimental to democracy. We think 16 and 17 year olds are unlikely to have a wide range of experiences. Under law, they are deemed not mature or responsible enough to purchase alcohol, cigarettes, buy a lottery ticket, or marry. Many sixteen year olds may not be in employment, with many still at school. We think the proposed changes to the voting age would be arbitrary, unnecessary and could be harmful to democracy.
Timeline
| 1 Aug 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 1 Feb 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
2,420
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Opened
1 Aug 2025
Closed
1 Feb 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 27 Jul 2026.