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Lesson 5 of 6

Should 16- and 17-year-olds be allowed to vote in elections?

I can explain arguments for and against allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in general elections and formulate my own opinion on the issue.

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Lesson 5 of 6
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Should 16- and 17-year-olds be allowed to vote in elections?

I can explain arguments for and against allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in general elections and formulate my own opinion on the issue.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. You can vote in elections if you meet the eligibility criteria including age, citizenship, and residency.
  2. You cannot vote in a general election until you are 18.
  3. There are certain things you can do at 16, for example, apply for a passport or open a bank account.
  4. There are other things you have to be 18 to do, for example, get a tattoo or get married.
  5. The discussion on lowering the voting age to 16 is complex and can be divisive with strong arguments on both sides.

Keywords

  • Vote - a formal way of making a choice or decision

  • Election - the voting process to select a person for a public position

  • General election - when the citizens of a country (the electorate) vote to elect a new government; a general election in the UK happens at least every five years

Common misconception

Currently no 16- and 17-year-olds have the right to vote in elections in the UK.

In Scotland and Wales, you can vote from the age of 16 in Parliament and assembly elections.

Encourage critical thinking by asking pupils to debate the pros and cons of lowering the voting age. Divide the class into groups, assigning each group a different perspective (e.g., supporters, opponents, and those who are undecided).
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What was the main aim of the Suffragists and Suffragettes?

to promote women’s rights in the workplace
Correct answer: to campaign for the right to vote for women
to provide education for women regardless of income
to support women’s participation in social matters

Q2.
Which of the following best describes the members of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS)?

radicals who advocated for violent protest
Correct answer: women who supported gradual and peaceful campaigns for suffrage
political activists who were members of the Labour Party
members of the royal family who supported women's rights

Q3.
Which of the following was a result of the groups campaigning for women's suffrage?

Women gained the right to vote only after 1945.
Correct answer: Led to the 1918 law that allowed women over 30 the vote.
Women gained the right to vote in 1925, after a petition was successful.

Q4.
Which of the following primarily makes political decisions in the UK: the Prime Minister and Cabinet, or the monarch?

Correct Answer: The Prime Minister and Cabinet, Prime Minister and Cabinet, Prime Minister, Cabinet, Prime Minister Cabinet

Q5.
Match the type of election to who is being elected.

Correct Answer:local elections,local councillors

local councillors

Correct Answer:general election,Members of Parliament to sit in the House of Commons

Members of Parliament to sit in the House of Commons

Correct Answer:devolved elections,Members of the Scottish, Welsh, or Northern Irish Parliament

Members of the Scottish, Welsh, or Northern Irish Parliament

Q6.
Why is voting an important way to take part in politics?

It allows you to watch debates in Parliament live.
Correct answer: It gives you a chance to choose an MP who'll represent you.
It lets you become a Member of Parliament yourself.
It helps you write laws yourself.

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the correct term for the following definition: a formal way of making a choice or decision?

Correct Answer: vote, voting

Q2.
What are the criteria you have to meet in order to be eligible to vote in an election in the UK?

Correct answer: citizenship
gender
Correct answer: age
race
Correct answer: where you live

Q3.
At what age can you register to vote for elections in England and Northern Ireland?

Correct Answer: 16, Sixteen, Sixteen-years-old, 16-years-old, Age 16

Q4.
Which of the following can you legally do at 16?

buy a lottery ticket
Correct answer: register with a GP
serve on a jury
buy and drink alcohol in a bar
Correct answer: register to vote

Q5.
What is the age in which you can vote in local elections in England?

Correct Answer: 18, eighteen

Q6.
Which of the following are arguments for giving 16-year-olds the vote?

Correct answer: At 16, you gain more legal rights and responsibilities.
People become legal adults at the age of 18, not 16.
Most 16-year-olds still live at home and may be easily influenced.
Correct answer: It would make politicians more focusd on issues important to young people.
Young people can be seen as lacking life experience.

Lesson appears in

UnitCitizenship / Why was the struggle for the vote important today?

Citizenship

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