- A New Zealand court has ruled that the country’s voting age of 18 is discriminatory.
- As a result, parliament is required to examine whether or not the age should be lowered.
- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says her administration will work on legislation to lower the age to 16.
The highest court in New Zealand issued a ruling that the country’s current voting age of 18 was discriminatory. As a result, parliament is now required to examine whether or not the age should be lowered.
The advocacy group Make It 16, which wants the age lowered to accommodate 16 and 17 year olds, purchased the case, which has been proceeding through the courts since the year 2020.
The United States Supreme Court reached the conclusion that the present voting age of 18 was in violation of the country’s Bill of Rights, which states that individuals have the right to be free from age discrimination after they reach the age of 16.
Following the decision, a process is initiated in which the matter is required to be brought before parliament for discussion and to be assessed by a select committee of parliament. However, it does not compel parliament to alter the minimum age for voters.
“This is history,” said Make It 16 co-director Caeden Tipler, adding: “The government and parliament cannot ignore such a clear legal and moral message. They must let us vote.”
According to the organization’s website, there is inadequate justification to exclude those aged 16 who are already able to drive, work full time, and pay taxes from exercising their right to vote.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand declared that her administration would work on drafting legislation to lower the age to 16, which would then be put to a vote in the New Zealand parliament.
“I personally support a decrease in the voting age but it is not a matter simply for me or even the government, any change in electoral law of this nature requires 75% of parliamentarian support,” she said.
