17/07/2025
❤️ Votes for 16 and 17 year old ❤️
Enfranchising 16 and 17-year-olds has been a long held SDLP position and we welcome confirmation from the government today that this will be in place for the next General Election. There are many young people in Northern Ireland actively engaged in politics and I know that for generations there has been frustration that they could not play a full role in the democratic process.
The SDLP believes that these voting rights must stretch beyond General Elections and be extended to voting for the Assembly and local councils. We will continue to make the case for that at Westminster and push for change to secure voting at all levels for 16 and 17-year-olds.