A historic step: 16-17 year olds gain vote

It’s been a long journey, but it was worth it: the UK Government has recently confirmed that 16- and 17-year-olds will finally get the right to vote in general elections. This has been something a consortium of our social impact clients and policy advocates have been pushing for many years, and it’s actually happening.  We're proud that at Hogan Lovells Pro Bono generations of trainees and associates, many of whom are now Counsel and Partners leading our Governmental Regulatory practice, have been quietly advising this movement. 

The initial impetus was provided by a movement born in a Dartford classroom with two teachers, Michael Sani and Dave, and a group of students who weren’t going wait for permission to be heard. We helped them to form Bite the Ballot which initiated the first (and now annual) National Voter Registration Day, accompanied by a real-life gaming experience that brought it to life in further education. Bite the Ballot earned a proud shout-out by President Obama in 2016. 

I also take time to remember our partner Richard Diffenthal, who sadly passed away in 2021, who became the first Board Chair of Bite the Ballot. We now fund a programme in his name with our client the Patchwork Foundation, which promotes and encourage the positive integration of disadvantaged and minority communities into British democracy and civil society. Richard would have been thrilled to see this development. As would have the late Jamal Edwards, a supporter of BtB who believed deeply in the power of young people and sadly also left us far too soon.

AS Mike Sani says “It’s basic fairness. It’s about power, and young people deserve a real say in the decisions that shape their lives.”  In our essay contribution to “Raising the Nation” by Paul Lindley published last year (before the policy announcement) we noted how children’s rights are failing to be protected because of the changing demographic in the UK leading to a divergence between the long term and short-term interests of generations. The Courts are also far more hesitant to give any effect to the UN Child Rights Convention because, although signed by the UK, it has not been brought into domestic law nationwide. 

The UK is now taking following in the footsteps of the devolved nations, with 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland having been granted the ability to vote in Scottish Parliament and local elections since 2016,  and 16- and 17-year-olds in Wales having been able to vote in Senned elections since 2021. A study produced by the University of Sheffield found that those young people who were enfranchised in Scotland turned out in higher numbers than 18–19-year-olds, and have consistently had higher turnout in subsequent years.

Both Wales and Scotland have also incorporated the UN Child Rights Convention into their legislation, which shows that it is possible to embed child rights and give our young people more of a say in their futures. 

The legacy is being now taken forward by MyLifeMySay with the inspiring Dan Lawes who has brought onside the brands including LIME Bikes and Tony Chocoloney to develop the “Give an X – do you ? campaign for the General Election 2024.  With our pro bono counsel Gordon Nardell KC we continue to advise the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust on the aspiration to see automatic voter registration introduced in the proposed Elections Bill. 

However, we pause to congratulate all those without whom the significant policy development would not have happened: The Politics Project, Shout Out UK, Operation Black Vote, The Scouts, Unlock Democracy and many more. The significant collaboration that has been witnessed in the democracy movement shows that advocating together can result in the most inspiring outcomes.