120 youth MPs call

Parliament’s 120 youth MPs have joined the call to lower the voting age to 16 years old.

The youth MPs, part of a Youth Parliament programme held every three years, took up their seats in the House yesterday to question Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Cabinet ministers.

Alongside a two-day schedule of debates and mock-lawmaking, the young MPs have been advocating for the ‘‘Make It 16’’ campaign, asking lawmakers to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in both local body and general elections.

‘‘The vast majority of young people that I speak to are in support of lowering the voting age,’’ said William Bell-Purchas, the youth MP representing Ardern.

‘‘Young people are educated enough and competent enough to be able to make that choice and vote in their elections, and it’s extremely important that we allow young people to have that voice, because so many issues that are being discussed today, in everywhere from councils to Parliament, have such ramifications on young people.’’

Bell-Purchas, also a member of the Make It 16 campaign, said there was ‘‘overwhelming’’ support for a change in the voting age among the 120 youth MPs, across the political spectrum.

He had lunch with Ardern yesterday and handed her an open letter from the youth MPs to parliamentarians, asking for cross-party support in removing the ‘‘arbitrary restrictions’’ on voting.

‘‘These arbitrary restrictions seek to paint us as irresponsible, incapable and undeserving of the right to have a say in the way our country works,’’ the letter read.

Bell-Purchas said Ardern made ‘‘no commitments’’, but they discussed the issue.

The Make It 16 campaign has