Young people care
about public issues and deserve to vote

The way that young people engage in democratic life has changed dramatically in recent years, with the rise of social media, declining voter literacy and voter participation among youth, and increased activism in areas of special importance to young people such as climate change or racial justice. The time has come for special attention to the issue of youth engagement in democratic life. 

One proposal with considerable potential would be to lower the voting age to 16. This has already been done successfully in multiple jurisdictions, such as Austria, Scotland and some US cities. In July 2025, the United Kingdom announced it would lower its voting age to 16 for the next general election in 2029. 

Lowering the voting age helps to establish a voting habit early in life and fosters higher levels of civic engagement over the long term. 

Lowering the voting age should be linked to a revitalization of civics education in high school curricula. The current half-course civics curriculum in Ontario has been much downgraded in recent years, incurring criticism by academics, teachers and students alike. 

A citizens’ process for addressing issues of youth engagement, including lowering the voting age to 16, should necessarily involve a diverse group of young people capable of demanding what they want for themselves, in consultation with representatives of other age groups.