The court will be asked to rule that the current voting age, while legally valid, is a form of unjustified age discrimination, explains Andrew Geddis. Is there any good reason to let 18-year-old people vote, but not those who are 16 or 17 years old? That’s the question the High Court starts grappling with today, … Read more
The election delay means 17-year-old Gina Dao-McLay will have the right to vote this year. She’s excited – but says thousands more people like her deserve the same chance to have their voices heard. I turn 18 on September 27 – a grand total of eight days after the original election date of September 19. … Read more
Gina Dao-McLay from the Make it 16 campaign on how lowering the voting age could make all the difference. My 18th birthday is eight days after September’s general election. I want to vote. I’m ready to vote. But the law currently stops me from doing so. As co-director of Make it 16, a campaign launched … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Greens push to lower voting age on climate strike day, latest IPCC report unpacked, and analysis of Fonterra’s tough annual results day. On a day when many 16 year olds will be out protesting against climate change inaction, the Greens have announced a push to … Read more
When teenagers today are being called upon to solve the problems of tomorrow, why aren’t they given the right to participate in democracy? Fourteen-year-old Oli Morphew makes the case for lowering the voting age. If you’re going to deprive someone of their rights, you’d better be completely assured of the reasons you’re doing so, and … Read more