Votes at 16 and engaging young voters - MPs examine what young people think about politics and democracy
On Wednesday morning, the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee examines votes at 16 and puts questions to election administrators and youth engagement experts as part of the committee’s modernising elections inquiry (full witness list included below).
The committee will explore a range of questions relating to implementing votes at 16 in UK elections, exploring the lessons to be learned from votes at 16 in place for devolved elections in Scotland and Wales for some time.
MPs will also examine questions around access to adequate citizenship education, where people learn about Parliament, government and democratic institutions, and concerns around the impact of socio-economic inequalities on democratic participation.
Meeting details
In discussions based on the committee’s activity pack on politics, democracy and votes at 16, in a summary document of young people's views, they said they would like their schools to do more to equip them with the skills to navigate an increasingly complex online environment.
The committee will examine misinformation, media literacy, and how to tackle political information online. Practical challenges to voting, such as voter identification and registration, will also be explored.