Granting 16 and 17 years olds the right to vote is not a panacea for youth engagement in politics, but it is necessary for democracy

The voting age for UK general elections is 18, meaning that 16 and 17 year olds aren’t eligible to vote, despite being adults for the majority of a five year parliament. Research has shown that it would be an effective tool in narrowing the UK’s turnout gap between old and young – the widest in the OECD. Here, Michael Bruter and Sarah Harrison share research which shows that a lowered voting age has worked where it has been tried, and that its introduction would force politicians to listen to the views of younger people.