Seriously Social

The politics of a lower voting age

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Episode notes

How can the voice of children and young people count if they are not counted in elections? In most places in Australia, when you turn 16 you can drive a car and consent to medical procedures—but you can’t vote. Many young people are working and paying taxes, so shouldn’t they be entitled to political representation? In the first episode of season six of the Seriously Social podcast, we hear Professor Lisa Hill from the University of Adelaide explain why we’re so scared of giving younger people a vote, and what the research actually says about 16 and 17-year-olds in the voting booth.