Debate contribution: Voting Age: 16- and 17-year-olds
Debate contribution by Mr Danny Baker on .
- MLA
- Mr Danny Baker
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 24 September 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Voting Age: 16- and 17-year-olds
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4644798
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I beg to move
Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle.
It is time to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds. Every day in the Chamber, we make decisions that affect the lives of children and young people, all without them having a direct role in playing their part in that change. Young people have been at the forefront of delivering real change in some of the biggest political developments of the past decade. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds are not just citizens of the future; they are full and equal citizens now. They are the cornerstone of our communities, and they play an active and valuable role in our society. At 16, you can start work, you can make your own decisions on education and you pay tax and National Insurance, to name a few. The notion that they are not mature or able enough to play a role in the democratic process is nonsense. In Scotland and Wales, 16- and 17-year-olds have the right to elect their MSPs and their Welsh Assembly Members. In the European Union, Austria, Germany and Malta have all extended voting rights to over-16s. That has meant a more engaged, more vocal and more diverse electorate. In the North and across Ireland, we deny that opportunity to our next generation of voters. When they can vote, 16- and 17-year-olds have higher rates of turnout than 18-to-24-year-olds. They have accessed more information from a wider variety of sources than any other age group, making them a more informed voting group. If you can vote at 16 and 17, you are more likely to vote in the future. Eighteen-year-olds who do not vote can become 50-year-olds who do not vote. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds who vote will continue to vote as they age. Extending the right to vote would allow a seamless transition from learning about voting to putting it into practice. We have potentially already lost one generation. We cannot deny the next generation of voters, who have studied the democratic process, the right to use that knowledge in council and Assembly elections. That is a missed opportunity. It is only fair that their voices translate into political power. Sinn Féin has always advocated an inclusive, progressive society where everyone has the right to shape their future and where the voices of young people are not only heard but listened to. Our vision for a new and united Ireland is built on equality, justice and inclusivity. Allowing 16-year-olds to vote ensures that we give a voice to those who have the biggest stake in our future. The decisions that we make today are the ones that they will inherit tomorrow. By empowering young people with a vote, we encourage a lifetime of political engagement. Our democracy will be richer for it, and our society will be fairer. We must not continue to sideline the opinions of 16- and 17-year-olds. They must have a direct role in shaping their future. I say to the young people listening today, "Sinn Féin is on your side. You should have the right to shape the processes in this Chamber like anyone else". Let us ensure that the democratic process can be open to all. It is time to extend the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds. I ask Members to support the motion and the amendment.
556 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not qualifying”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.07 (qualifying needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not qualifying).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.91).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-qualifying threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.12 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.91 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.07 | At or below not-qualifying threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.99 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:06 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
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