Youth MPs support lowering voting age to 16 but say more education is needed

Ebony Kalin says lowering the voting age should be "considered with great care.” Photo / Supplied

Youth members of parliament (MPs) from Whanganui and surrounding districts are keen to see the voting age dropped to 16, but some say more effort is needed in engaging younger voters.

Advocacy group Make It 16 has been campaigning for three years to have the age lowered, and this week the Supreme Court ruled it was inconsistent with the Bill of Rights to not allow 16-year-olds to vote.

The Court of Appeal declined the group’s case in 2021, but that decision has now been overturned.

Youth MP for Whanganui’s Steph Lewis, Ebony Kalin, had “mixed opinions” about the voting age drop.

She said only a small proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds would want to vote.

“If there were education steps put in place first, to teach kids about governance, about policies and things like that, I would support this change more.

“I don’t think this is something that should be rushed. It should be considered with great care.”

The fact rangatahi spent three years in court fighting for the right to vote disputed the argument that younger people weren’t engaged enough, Youth MP for Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer, Luke Orbell, said.

“That’s so many hours and so many documents, creating a petition, and going to Parliament and handing it to MPs.

“A lot of MPs at youth parliament this year supported the movement and spoke about issues like mental health, decolonisation, community and racism.

“All you have to do is watch those speeches and you’ll know they are passionate about creating a future that’s good for everyone.”

Keisya Gunawan is an adviser for Kalin and said 16-year-olds paid tax if they were employed, so that should qualify them to vote.

Like Kalin, she said more effort needed to be put into teaching younger people about New Zealand’s governance structure.

“We are already contributing so much to society but voting seems to be the one that’s like ‘Stop right there’,” Gunawan said.

Luke Orbell is fully supportive of lowering the voting age. Photo / Supplied

Changing the voting age for general elections requires a 75 per cent majority in Parliament or a referendum.

Local body voting age can be changed with a bare majority.

Parliament is required to debate Bill of Rights Act declarations within six months.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said this week Cabinet would draft legislation with a proposal to lower the age of voting for Parliament to consider.

She anticipated it would be before the House before the middle of next year.

Orbell said not all adults voted, and that would be the same for teenagers.

“People who want to engage and have a say, they are going to go and vote. Those that aren’t as interested won’t.

“It happens across all ages and generations.”

Whanganui-based Youth MP adviser and former chair of the Whanganui Youth Council, Charlotte Hardy, supported lowering the voting age and said a lot of young people were politically minded and concerned about issues that affected themselves and others.

“I think if that age (16) was introduced for the next (general) election it would really engage people like me, who are really into politics, and we could have our vote earlier than we thought we would.

“Because we are passionate about it we have all the information, and we could lead the charge in helping youth get educated and registered to vote.”

Orbell said lowering the voting age was another step towards tackling systems that didn’t benefit everyone.

“I hope the Government takes it seriously and implements this, to give more power to rangatahi.

“If the Supreme Court views this (not allowing the vote) as discrimination, what other areas are discriminatory against certain types of people?

“We need to start looking and how to create a future that’s community, values, and empathy-driven, rather than money-driven.”

Ian McKelvie’s Youth MP Daisy Tumataroa (Rangitīkei) couldn’t be reached for comment.

What does Whanganui think?

Jordan Fulton. Photo / Bevan Conley

Jordan Fulton

I don’t think 16-year-olds should vote. It’s a bad idea because we are still too young. We aren’t adults yet.

William Pikari. Photo / Bevan Conley

William Pikari

I’m for it. There would be more votes and it would give the young ones a chance. Let’s see who they want to vote for.

Aiden Wilson. Photo / Bevan Conley

Aiden Wilson

Young people are the future generation so I think their opinion should be valued. I’m in favour of lowering the voting age.

Lindsay Macdonald. Photo / Bevan Conley

Lindsay Macdonald

Yes, it should be lowered. This is these kids’ future and they are quite capable of voting at 16. They’ll talk about it at school, and for the ones that don’t want to vote, it’s exactly the same as adults.

Aiden Wyllie. Photo / Bevan Conley

Aiden Wyllie

I would say yes. It gives younger people more power and gives us more of an insight into how they’re thinking.

Megan Harris. Photo / Bevan Conley

Megan Harris

Eighteen is fine. They are thinking about the world outside themselves so I think we should leave it there. Sixteen is still a bit young. You’re going to get a lot of silly voting. They’ll see McGillicuddy (Serious Party) and think ‘Oh yes, let’s vote for them’.”