13 November 2026
Make It 16 says Aotearoa has
failed its young people once again, with thousands of 16 and
17-year-olds excluded from voting in another general
election, four years after the Supreme Court found that the
voting age of 18 was inconsistent with the right to be free
from age discrimination.
The youth-led, non-partisan
campaign is calling on incoming MPs to address the continued
exclusion of young people and commit to lowering the voting
age to 16.
“Four years ago, we took our case to the
highest court in the country and won. The Supreme Court
confirmed that our exclusion from voting was unjustified age
discrimination. Years have passed and we’ve just watched
another election go by without being allowed to have a
say,” says Jamin Fountain, Make It 16
director.
“If we can drive, consent, work full-time
and pay tax, why can’t we vote? We’re already participating
in society and are just as affected by government decisions.
It’s time our democracy caught up. It’s time the voting
age was lowered to 16.”
Under the Bill of Rights
Act, protection from age discrimination applies from age 16.
A bill to lower the voting age for local elections passed
its first reading in Parliament in 2023 but was later
dropped, and no legislative changes have been made since the
Supreme Court’s declaration.
Make It 16 says it is
unacceptable that New Zealand continues to exclude young
people from voting after the country’s highest court found
that their exclusion could not be justified.
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Figures
obtained by Make It 16 show that 16 and 17-year-olds have
paid over $100 million in income tax every year for the past
three completed tax years, contributing billions of dollars
to the economy in the process. That’s over $365 million in
taxation without representation.
Research shows that
16 and 17-year-olds have the cognitive capacity to make
considered voting decisions. And where the voting age has
been lowered, young people have demonstrated their
willingness to participate. In Scotland’s 2014 independence
referendum, more than 75% of 16 and 17-year-olds voted,
compared with approximately 50% of 18 to
24-year-olds.
“When young people are affected by
government decisions but denied the right to vote, that’s a
failure of democracy and a human rights issue. Young people
are part of democracy, and democracy is incomplete without
our voices,” says Malak Tamimi, Make It 16
spokesperson.
Public support for lowering the voting
age extends across generations, with New Zealanders of all
ages sharing why they’ve signed Make It 16’s
pledge.
Support for lowering the voting age spans
generations. Trixie, a student from Southland, says: “I am
a student and I believe that me and my peers deserve the
right to vote. We’re not irresponsible. If we can drive, why
can’t we vote?”
Kathleen from Wellington says: “I
trust my grandchildren’s cohort to make better informed
judgements than my own contemporaries. It’s their future
that’s at stake”.
And Ron, an 89-year-old
supporter from Wellington, believes “voting at 16 would
encourage young people to engage with civic life at an
important stage in their development.”.
Fountain
says Aotearoa has a history of expanding democratic rights,
being the first country to give women the right to vote, and
lowering the voting age should be the next
step.
“New Zealand was the first self-governing
country to give women the vote. We know our democracy can
change, and we know young people are ready to be part of
it.
“We shouldn’t have to win the same argument over
and over again. The Supreme Court made its ruling in 2022.
It’s now 2026, and another election has passed without us
having a say. How many more elections are 16 and
17-year-olds expected to sit out?”
Make It 16 is
calling on incoming MPs to publicly commit to lowering the
voting age and support the campaign’s
pledge.
Notes:
Make It 16 NZ is a
non-partisan, youth-led campaign advocating for the voting
age to be lowered to 16 in Aotearoa New Zealand. See our
website: https://www.makeit16.org.nz/
For
more information on the 2022 Supreme Court ruling https://www.makeit16.org.nz/thecourtcase
For
more information on the previous bill on lowering the voting
age: https://bills.parliament.nz/v/6/0aba4b2e-edc6-4a27-c01a-08db9d132713?Tab=hansard&lang=en
For
more information on all the reasons to lower the voting age:
https://www.makeit16.org.nz/reasons
