Electoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) 2023

# Electoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) 2023 ## What it does This bill would lower the voting age from 18 to 16 in federal elections and referendums. It also lowers the age at which people can pre-register to vote from 16 to 14, so younger teenagers can get on the electoral roll ahead of time. ## Why it matters If passed, around 1 million extra Australians aged 16-17 would be able to vote in the next federal election. This is a significant expansion of who gets a say in parliament—supporters argue 16-year-olds are old enough to understand politics and are affected by policy decisions, while opponents worry about maturity and consistency with other age-based laws. ## Key details - **Voting age drops to 16**: Multiple sections of the Commonwealth Electoral Act change from "18" to "16" as the minimum voting age - **Pre-enrolment from age 14**: Young people could register to vote two years before they can actually cast a ballot, meaning they'd be ready once they turn 16 - **Comes into force immediately**: The changes take effect the day after the bill receives Royal Assent (the Governor-General's approval), so there's no delayed implementation period