Voting and Participation

Anyone aged 18 and above can vote to decide who is elected to government. 

Voting makes sure your voice is heard. It is your way to directly influence government, through deciding who is elected. 

• As soon as you turn 18, you have the right to vote.
• You vote to chose decision makers in both local and central government.

You can vote

• In local, national and European elections for the political party whose aims you most agree with.
• Voting is very important as it allows you to have a say nationally in who should run the country and locally in who should be your MP.

Even before you are old enough to vote, there are ways you can get involved in and influence local and national decision making.

Take Action: You can register to vote as soon as you are 16

Votes at 16

Work is currently underway to extend the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds. 

The Representation of the People Bill will extend the voting age to 16 for all UK elections. 16 and 17 year olds will have the same rights, once registered, as any other voter.

The registration age will be extended to 14, helping to ensure young people can be fully registered and have the opportunity to vote even if an election falls on or shortly after their 16th birthday.

Find out more: the Representation of the People Bill 2026: Extending the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds 

The Electoral Register

You have the right to vote in local and general elections as soon as you turn 18, but to do so your name must be on the Electoral Register.

You can add your name to this list as soon as you turn 16 by using the form sent to every household each autumn, or by picking one up from your local council office. You can also register online or by post.

Crucial: The council must have your form before April if you want to vote in a May election.

Other ways to participate

Before or after you start to vote, there are many other ways to get more involved in the democratic process and get your voice heard. You can:

• join your local Youth Council or School Council
• become a young person trustee
• take part in consultations

​There are often public consultation events in your area, about plans for local areas and services. You can always ask to be involved in these consultations, as consultations should be seeking the opinions of everyone including children and young people. 

Take action: Find out more about how young people can get involved with decision making locally.