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A

BILL

TO

Allow persons aged 16 years or older to vote as electors at parliamentary and
local government elections, and in referendums, and for connected purposes.

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1 Reduction of voting age

(1) The Representation of the People Act 1983 is amended as follows—

(a) in section 1(1)(d) (definition of voting age for parliamentary elections),
for “18” substitute “16”; and

(b) 5in section 2(1)(d) (definition of voting age for local government
elections), for “18” substitute “16”.

(2) In the Representation of the People Act 1985, in section 1(5) (entitlement to vote
of overseas electors), for “18” substitute “16”.

(3) In legislation after the coming into force of this Act which institutes any
10referendum, the definition of those entitled to vote shall in the absence of
contrary or qualifying provision be those entitled to vote as electors at a
parliamentary election in any constituency.

2 Short title, commencement and extent

(1) This Act may be cited as the Voting Age (Reduction to 16) Act 2013.

(2) 15Section 1 of this Act shall come into force on 1 January 2014.

(3) This Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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