In a historic decision, a New Zealand court determined that denying 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote constituted age discrimination. The court noted that while age discrimination protection in New Zealand starts at the age of 16, setting the voting age at 18 was discriminatory.
Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, announced hours after the decision that the Kiwi MPs would have to vote on whether or not to decrease the voting age. “It is our view that this is an issue best placed in Parliament for everyone to have their say,” said Ardern.
If New Zealand is successful in lowering the voting age, it will join countries like Austria, Malta, Brazil, Cuba, and Ecuador that provide voting rights to anyone 16 and older. To accomplish this, Ardern and her administration will need to amass a supermajority in the legislature.
I personally support a decrease in the voting age: Ardern
“I personally support a decrease in the voting age but it is not a matter simply for me or even the government,” Ardern said, before adding, “Any change in electoral law of this nature requires 75 percent of parliamentarians’ support.”
The plan is reportedly going to be introduced in the parliament in the upcoming months by the current administration. Any rule modifications, however, won’t take effect until after the general election in the following year.
Young voters will be given the freedom to decide their future
The court was deliberating a petition submitted by the “Make It 16 campaign.” The verdict on Monday, according to the campaigners, was the result of a two-year legal battle in which the organization demanded that young voters be given the freedom to decide their future by casting ballots on matters like climate change, pandemic recovery options, and more.
“This is history. The government and parliament cannot ignore such a clear legal and moral message. They must let us vote,” said Caeden Tipler, co-director of the Make It 16 campaign.