The Legislative Assembly for the ACT has come out against a Bill to lower the voting age in the ACT from 18 years to 16 years.
In the Inquiry Report, Chair of the Assembly’s Justice and Community Safety Committee, Peter Cain said the Committee was concerned that the Electoral Amendment Bill 2021 exposed young people aged under 18 years to criminal offences and penalties.
Mr Cain said no clear solution to this problem arose during the inquiry.
“The proposal in the Bill to halve the prescribed penalty for a default notice issued to people aged 16 or 17 years who appear to have failed to vote in an election does not guarantee young people will not be exposed to criminal proceedings and more serious penalties,” he said.
“At the same time, exempting young people from penalties, or waiving penalties for non-enrolment or non-voting, has the potential to create perceptions of inconsistency and inequality, which may undermine respect for the electoral process.
“The Committee is hesitant to introduce any changes to the Electoral Act that might erode community support for compulsory voting.”
Mr Cain said the Committee was also concerned about possible negative effects of imposing an obligation to vote on young people aged 16-17 years, in particular, the potential impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people who were not yet willing or able to engage with the political process.
The Committee Chair pointed out that the potential positive impacts of lowering the voting age, described in overseas research journals, would not automatically translate to the ACT context as they occurred in jurisdictions with voluntary voting schemes.
Along with recommending that the Bill not be passed, the Committee recommended that Government explore other ways to engage young people in the democratic process.
The Committee’s 34-page Inquiry Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
