• The UK government announced that it will lower the voting age from 18 to 16 years in time for the next general election expected in 2029.

• In the run up to the July 2024 elections, the Labour Party promised in its poll campaign that it will lower the voting age for elections to the British Parliament.

• The move will bring UK-wide elections in line with the devolved Scotland and Wales regions as part of what the British government described as one of the biggest changes to UK democracy in a generation. 

• This will mean young people, who already contribute to society by working, paying taxes and serving in the military, will be given the right to vote on the issues that affect them. 

• The plans also include an expansion of the voter ID system to permit the use of UK-issued bank cards as an accepted form of ID at polling stations, to ensure eligible voters are not deterred from voting.

• The new strategy covers the creation of a new digital Voter Authority Certificate to ensure Electoral Registration Officers can meet the digital needs of voters, reduce printing costs and ensure faster delivery. 

• An increasingly automated voter registration system is intended to make it easier for people to register to vote and reduce the need to fill out their details across different government services on multiple occasions.

• Through the new plans, the government is going further to allow UK-issued bank cards to be used as ID when voting, making it far easier for more voters to meet the requirements. 

• As bank debit and credit cards are issued after an applicant has passed necessary security checks for a bank account, they will ensure that a widely and commonly carried item will be included in the range of identification documents already accepted at polling booths.

• These measures will strike the right balance by continuing to protect voters from the risk of impersonation, while also removing barriers to ensure legitimate voters are not prevented or discouraged from exercising their right to vote. 

• The changes will form part of an elections Bill to be tabled in Parliament, besides secondary legislation to address the implementation schedule.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store