UK to Lower Voting Age to 16 Before Next General Election

The UK plans to lower the voting age to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to participate in the next general election, as part of a package of electoral reforms that also include clamping down on political donations from foreign donors.

The lower voting age will bring UK-wide elections in line with those in Scotland and Wales, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said on Thursday in a statement. The current voting age in national ballots is 18, and the changes to the law will be brought in through a new elections bill. The next election could be held as late as mid-2029.