Call for children to have lessons in how to vote at 16 in UK election
Democratic education to be rolled out in schools
- The head of the UK Electoral Commission, Vijay Rangarajan, stated that children aged 11 and over will require democracy lessons to prepare them for voting at 16.
- Teachers will be asked to leave their personal politics at the classroom door to ensure students receive an impartial understanding of the political system.
- The Electoral Commission is developing impartial educational materials and guidance for teachers, learning from the patchy democratic education provided before the Scottish independence referendum.
- The next general election will allow 16-year-olds to vote for the first time, alongside proposals for automated voter registration and accepting bank cards as ID at polling stations.
- While Labour supports lowering the voting age, some Conservative MPs have questioned the consistency of allowing 16-year-olds to vote but not to engage in other adult activities.