Hartlepool council leader backs voting for 16 year olds

Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, who holds the chief political position on Hartlepool Borough Council, stressed it is important they “inspire participation” and “give young people a reason to be involved in politics”.

At the latest authority-wide meeting of Hartlepool Borough Council a public question to the local authority leader queried what is being done to increase electoral turnout among young people.

It was also asked if the council supports the principles and proposed reforms contained within the Representation of the People Bill.

The legislation, which is making its journey through Parliament, introduces more automated forms of voter registration, lowers the voting age so 16-year-olds can vote in all UK elections and expands the list of accepted voter ID.

Labour’s Cllr Hargreaves said she supports the principles of the bill and is “100% in favour” of extending the right to vote to 16 and 17-year-olds – adding “it’s about time that it’s done”.

She continued: “If we don’t encourage younger people to vote then what we are doing is limiting the amount of people who are choosing their representatives.

“We have to inspire participation, particularly amongst young people, and we have to give young people a reason to be involved in politics and more broadly political debate.”

However she added this must be matched with “education” to “start those habits early”.

Cllr Hargreaves said: “For me that starts in primary schools, it’s not about party politics but it’s about discussion, it’s about issues, it’s about just informing.”