​

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Organizations working to eliminate all voting ages:
 

• Amnesty International UK, Children's Human Rights Network

• Association for Children’s Suffrage (ACS)

• Children's Rights International Network (CRIN)

• Children's Voice Association

• Freechild Institute for Youth & Social Change

• Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations (FRFG)

• KRÄTZÄ (die KinderRÄchTsZÄnker) - Wiki on KRÄTZÄ in English (original here in German)

• National Large Familes Association

• National Youth Rights Association (NYRA)

• Represent MA Children

• Represent MA Children 2020

• Represent PA Children 2020

• We Want the Vote

 

Organizations working to lower the voting age to 16: See NYRA resources here plus a 2022 literature review of votes at 16 research here

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Days to Commemorate:

 

• International Day of Democracy (15 September)

• World Children's Day (20 November)

• Human Rights Day (10 December)

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Academic publications on eliminating all voting ages:

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Interdisciplinary

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• Wall, John, ed., Exploring Children's Suffrage: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Ageless Voting (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023). Featuring chapters by Michael Cummings, Nick Munn, John Wall, David Runciman, Anandini Dar, Jonathan Josefsson and Bengt Sandin, Luigi Campiglio and Lorenza Alexandra Lorenzetti, Cheryl Milne, and Neena Modi.

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Philosophy

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• Cook, Phillip, “Against a Minimum Voting Age,” Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy (2013) 16.3.

• Daly, Aoife, "Free and Fair Elections for Some? The Potential for Voting Rights for Under-18s," in David Keane and Yvonne McDermott, eds., The Challenge of Human Rights: Past, Present, and Future (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012), 268-290.

• Folkes, Alex (2004). “The Case for Votes at 16.” Representation 41(1): 52–56.

• Hinze, Jakob (2020). Rejuvenating Democracy: Age, Knowledge, and the Right to Vote. Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Philosophy, University of St. Andrews.

• Kiesewetter, Benjamin, "Dürfen wir Kindern das Wahlrecht vorenthalten?" Archiv für Rechts und Sozialphilosophie (2009), 95(2):252-273.

• Munn, Nicholas John, “Capacity Testing the Youth: A Proposal for Broader Enfranchisement,” Journal of Youth Studies 15:8, 2012:1048-1062.

• Munn, Nicholas John, "Against the Political Exclusion of the Incapable," Journal of Applied Philosophy 35(3), 2018:601-616.

• Munn, Nick, "The Trap of Incrementalism in Recognising Children's Right to Vote," Nordic Journal of Human Rights 39.2 (2021): 113-127.

• Olsson, Stefan, “Children’s Suffrage: A Critique of the Importance of Voters’ Knowledge for the Well-Being of Democracy,” The International Journal of Children’s Rights 16 (2008):55-76.

• Parijs, Philippe van,"The Disenfranchisement of the Elderly, and Other Attempts to Secure Intergenerational Justice," Philosophy and Public Affairs (1999) vol. 27: 292-333.

• Peterson, Paul (1992), “An Immodest Proposal.” Daedalus Vol. 121 (4/1992), 151-174.

• Umbers, Lachlan Montgomery, “Enfranchising the Youth,” Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, 2018:1-24.

• Wald, Patricia, “Making Sense Out of the Rights of Youth,” Human Rights (1974): 4.1:13-29.

• Wall, John, Give Children the Vote: On Democratizing Democracy (New York: Bloomsbury, 2021).

  • Review of this book by Manfred Liebel and Philip Meade, original German here, English translation here.

• Wall, John, “Why Children and Youth Should Have the Right to Vote: An Argument for Proxy-Claim Suffrage,” Children, Youth and Environments, Vol. 24, No. 1 (2014), pp. 108-123.

• Wall, John. "Democratizing Democracy: The Road from Women’s to Children’s Suffrage,” International Journal of Human Rights, Special Issue, edited by Sonja Grover (2014) 18.6: 646–659.

• Wall, John, “Can Democracy Represent Children? Toward a Politics of Difference,” Childhood: A Journal of Global Child Research 19.1 (February 2012), 19: 86-100.

• Wall, John and Anandini Dar, “Children’s Political Representation: The Right to Make a Difference,” International Journal of Children’s Rights 19.4 (December 2011), pp. 595-612.

• Wiland, Eric, "Should Children Have the Right to Vote?" The Palgrave Handbook of Philosophy and Public Policy, Palgrave 2018.

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History

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• Barrusse, Verginie de Luca, "Les Femmes et les Enfants Aussie: Ou le droit d'être représenté par le vote familial," Actes de la recherche en sciences sociales 2001/5 (n° 140), pages 51 à 56.

• Runciman, David, “The Paradox of Political Representation," Journal of Political Philosophy 15, 1 (2007), pp. 93–114.

• Runciman, David, How Democracy Ends (London: Profile Books, 2018).

 

Political Science

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• Cummings, Michael, Children’s Voices in Politics (Peter Lang AG: 2020).

• Lau, Joanne, “Two Arguments for Child Enfranchisement," Political Studies, 2012.

• Lecce, Steven, “Should Democracy Grow Up? Children and Voting Rights,” Intergenerational Justice Review, 9.4 (2009), 133-139.

• López-Guerra, Claudio, “Enfranchising Minors and the Mentally Impaired,” Social Theory & Practice, Jan. 2012, Vol. 38 Issue 1, pp. 115-138.

• López-Guerra, Claudio, Democracy and Disenfranchisement: The Morality of Electoral Exclusions, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014).

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Social Sciences

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• Demeny, Paul, "Pronatalist Policies in Low-Fertility Countries: Patterns, Performance and Prospects," Population and Development Review (1986), vol. 12 (supplement): 335-358.
• Farson, Richard, Birthrights: A Bill of Rights for Children (New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1974).

• Franklin, Bob, “Children’s political rights.” In: Bob Franklin, ed., The Rights of Children (New York: Basil Blackwell, 1986), 24–53.

• Hinrichs, Karl, “Do the Old Exploit the Young? Is Enfranchising Children a Good Idea?” Arch Europ Sociol XLIII.1 (2002):35-58.

• Holt, John, Escape from Childhood (New York: Penguin, 1975).

• Kamijo, Yoshio, et al, “Voting on Behalf of a Future Generation: A Laboratory Experiment,” Sustainability 2019, 11.

• Priest, Maura, "Why Children Should Be Allowed to Vote," Public Affairs Quarterly (2016) 30(3):215-238.

• Tremmel, Jörg and Wilhelm, James, "Democracy or Epistocracy? Age as a Criterion of Voter Eligibility." In: Tremmel, Jörg, ed., Youth Quotas and Other Efficient Forms of Youth Participation in Ageing Societies (Cham: Springer, 2015), pp. 125–147.

• Vaithianathan, R., R. Aoki and Erwan Sbai, “Support for Franchise Extension for Children: Evidence on Japanese Attitude to Demeny Voting,” CIS DP No. 610, 2013.

• Hyde, Martin, Democracy Education and the Canadian Voting Age. Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Educational Studies, University of British Colombia, 2001.
   

Economics

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• Bertocci, Graziella, Arcangelo Dimico, Francesco Lancia, and Alessia Russo, "Youth Enfranchisement, Political Responsiveness, and Education Expenditure: Evidence from the US." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 2020, 12(3): 76–106.

• Campiglio, Luigi, “Children’s Right to Vote: The Missing Link in Modern Democracies.” Sociological Studies of Children and Youth, 2009, Vol. 12, 221-247, p. 222.

• Campiglio, Luigi, "Political Participation, Voting, and Economic Policy: Three Problems of Modern Democracies." In Albert Breton, et al., eds., Understanding Democracy: Economic and Political Perspectives (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1997).

• Campiglio, Luigi, First, the Women and Children: Why it is Indispensable to Give Political Weight to the Under-Age Ones (Il Mulino, Bologna 2005).

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Law
 

• Bennett, R. W., "Should Parents Be Given Extra Votes on Account of Their Children: Toward a Conversational Understanding of American Democracy," 94 Nw. U. L. Rev. 503, 1999-2000.

• Douglas, Joshua, “In Defense of Lowering t he Voting Age,” University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 165 (2017), 63-72.

• Erenc, Olga, "Voting Rights for Future: Lowering the voting age from a children’s rights perspective," Völkerrechtsblog, 11 March 2020.

• Erenc, Olga, Lowering the Voting Age from Children's Rights Perspective, LLM Masters Thesis in International Laws, Universiteit Leiden, 2018.

• Godwin, Samantha, “Children’s Oppression, Rights, and Liberation,” Interdisciplinary Law Review (2011) 247.

• Goodin, Robert and Joanne Lau, “Enfranchising Incompetents: Suretyship and the Joint Authorship of Laws,” Ratio, 2011, XXIV.2:154-66.

• Hamilton, Vivian, “Democratic Inclusion, Cognitive Development, and the Age of Electoral Majority,” Brooklyn Law Review (2012) 77.4:1447-1513.

• Ludbrook, Robert, “Should Children Have the Right to Vote?” National Children’s and Youth Law Centre, Discussion Paper, 1995.

• Nolan, Aoife, "The Child as Democratic Citizen: Challenging the Participation Gap," Public Law (October 2010): 126-141.

• Pantell, Robert and Maureen Shannon, “Improving Public Policy for Children: A Vote for Each Child,” Intergenerational Justice Review (2009) 9.4:139-143.

• Rutherford, Jane, “One Child, One Vote: Proxies for Parents,” Minnesota Law Review (1998), Vol 82:1463-1525, p. 1495-96.

• Katherine Walton, Are Children Human?, LL.M. Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the LL.M. in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, Université de Genève, August 12, 2018.

• Wall, John, “Children’s Rights and Voting Age Discrimination,” Harvard Human Rights Journal Online, 35 (November 2022).

• Daniel Weinstock ‘What’s So Funny about Voting Rights for Children?’, Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy, 18 (2020), 751–772.

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Medicine

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•  

• Modi, Neena, “Votes for a Better Future,” Arch Dis Child 2020, 105.1:13-14, p. 14.

• Modi, Neena, “A Radical Proposal: To Promote Children’s Wellbeing Give Them the Vote,” BMJ 2018:361.

 

Policy Papers and Discussions

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• Votes for Schools, "Shold Everyone Be Able to Vote at 16?" November 2022.
• Raz, Daniella Zlotnik, "Communication 60/2018 D.C. v. Germany: Exclusion from voting on the basis of age," Leiden Children's Rights Observatory, Case Note 2020/4, 2020, discussion of suit under CRC for right to vote by 16-year-old.

• Bozoki, Andras, et al., "The Future of Democracy in Europe," Green Paper, Council of Europe, January 2004, see especially pp. 76-77.

• Nestle Family Monitor, "Young People's Attitudes Toward Politics," July 2003, see pp. 36-37 on voting ages.

• Thomas, Gillian and Gina Hocking, "Other People's Children," Demos, London, 2003, see especially pp. 14 and 79-81.

• Rosmini, Antonio (1848), La Costituzione secondo la giustizia sociale con un'appendice sull'unità d’Italia, Article 56 (p. 72), part of a proposal for the yet to be born Italian state: "The voting right is exercised by men only. It can be exercised by legitimate proxy: the father, husband, guardian and curator exercise it for non-emancipated children, for the wife, for minors, for the disqualified."

 

Popular Articles, Books, and Reports (in reverse date order)

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• Rizzolli, Matteo, "Scuola, gli studenti che occupano dovrebbero chiedere di votare anche da minorenni" ["School, occupying students should ask to vote even as minors"], Domani, 16 novembre 2022.

• Stacey, Jamie, "Children as Young as 6 Should Vote in the Next Election"[also reposted here], A Parent is Born, November 9, 2022.

• Rizzolli, Matteo, "Suffragio universale. Se vota una persona con Alzheimer perché non può un bambino?," ["Universal suffrage. If a person with Alzheimers votes why can't a child?], Avvenire, martedì 27 settembre 2022.

• Rizzolli, Matteo, "Per rimettere i giovani al centro della politica, i minorenni devono votare" ["To put young people back at the center of politics, minors must vote"], Domani, 04 agosto 2022.

• Fina Mendoza, "Let Kids Vote," Chesapeake Press, October 2022.

• Chen, Robin, "Let's Write Universal Suffrage Songs With Children," Pass It On! The Journal of the Children 's Music Network, March 2022.

• Débat entre enfants: Pour ou contre le droit de vote pour les enfants?, Mômes par Parents, accessed February 17, 2022 (children's own perspectives on their voting rights).

• Ford, Caylan, "Canada Has a Fertility Crisis: Enfranchising Children Could Be the Solution," The Hub, December 13, 2021.

• Gaitán Muñoz, Lourdes, "Voto a los 16, ?a quién interesa?" infoLibre, 7 de diciembre de 2021], English translation here: "Vote at 16, who is interested?"

• Maloney, Ryan, "Young Canadians launch court challenge to lower federal voting age from 18," CBS News, December 1, 2021.

• Casey, Liam, "Young Canadians File Suit against Federal Government over Minimum Voting Age," The Canadian Press, December 1, 2021.

• David Asper, "Young Canadians File Court Challenge to Lower Federal Voting Age – Calling it Unconstitutional," Center for Constitutional Rights, University of Toronto, December 1, 2021.

• Runciman, David, "Votes for Children! Why We Should Lower the Voting Age to Six," The Guardian, November 16, 2021.

• Holtermann, Callie, "Should there Be a Minimum Voting Age?" New York Times, November 2, 2021.

• Simon Keller, "Let the Children Vote," IdeasRoom, October 12, 2021.

• Stone, Lyman, "The Minimum Voting Age Should be Zero," New York Times, September 1, 2021 (full text here).

• Fletcher, Adam, “My Call to End the Voting Age,” adamflectcher.net. November 9, 2021.

• Piper, Kelsey, "Young People Have a Stake in Our Future. Let Them Vote." Vox, October 21, 2020.

• Kiesewetter, Benjamin, "Es geht darum, jedem Menschen eine Stimme zu geben," SRF1, Sternstunde Philosophie, June 20, 2020.

• Hobson, Tom, "Let's Talk About Giving Children the Right to Vote," Teachers on Fire Magazine, April 9, 2020.

• Mackenzie, Polly, "What If We Gave Children a Vote?" Unherd, November 12, 2019.

• Walton, Katherine, “Votes for Children: The Case for Universal Suffrage,” Amnesty International UK, October 6, 2019.

• Hobson, Tom, "Should Children Have the Right to Vote?" blog by Teacher Tom, June 10, 2019.

• Brando, Nicolás, "Why Children Should Have the Right to Vote," Justice Everywhere, April 15, 2019.

• Peebles, Graham, “Give Children the Vote, Strengthen Democracy,” Counterpunch, January 2019.

• Olsson, Stefan, "Voting Rights for Everyone" [in Swedish], blog.

• Runciman, David, "Democracy for Young People," Talking Politics,  blog, 5 Dec 2018.

• Douthat, Ross, "Power to the Parents," New York Times, March 3, 2018.

• Zlotnik, Daniella, "The Future of Adolescents' Right to Vote and Political Participation," leidenlawblog, blog, July 3, 2017.

• Jonathan Bernstein, "Should We Let Children Vote?" WNYC radio interview, October 30, 2016.

• Pevsner, Laurence, "Let Children Vote. Even 13-Year-Olds," Washington Post, October 27, 2016.

• Wiland, Eric, “One citizen, One Vote," What’s Wrong? Colorado University Boulder Center for Values and social Policy bog, August 12, 2015.

• Yglesias, Matthew, “The Case for Letting Children Vote,” Vox.com, Nov. 2015.

• Fletcher, Adam, "The Practice of Youth Engagement," CreateSpace Independent Publishing, 2014).

• Chrystia Freeland, "Giving the Young a Bigger Say," New York Times, March 7, 2013.

• Bayer, Alexei, "The US Economy is Stuck in the Past," Research Magazine, November 25, 2013.

• Corak, Miles, “Citizenship as a Privilege or as a Right: Should Children be Given the Vote,” TED Talk, May 31, 2013.

• Gans, Joshua, “Why It Is Time to Give Children the Right to Vote,” Forbes, April 20, 2012.
• M, Katrina, "Who Gets the Vote?" Sure, Why Not? July 7, 2011.
• Crippes, Nate, "What If the Right to Vote Started at Birth?" FairVote, June 16, 2011.

• Bernstein, Jonathan, “The Case for Lowering the Voting Age ... to Zero,” New Republic, May 30, 2011.

• Phillips, Leigh, “Hungarian Mothers May Get Extra Votes for their Children in Elections,” The Guardian, Sunday 17 April, 2011.

• Children's Rights International Network (CRIN), “Right to Vote,”, July 6, 2010.

• Conrad, Stefanie, “Children as Active Citizens: Addressing Discrimination against Children’s Engagement in Political and Civil Society Processes,” Plan International, 2009.

• Association of Children's Suffrage, "The Voting Age Should Be Eliminated," in Ronnie D. Lankford, ed., Should the Voting Age Be Lowered?  (New York: Greenhaven Press, 2008), pp. 26-30.

• Aber, J. Lawrence, "A Big, New Investment in America's Poorest Children: Conditional Cash Transfers,"Big Ideas for Children: Investing In Our Children’s Future, First Focus: Washington D.C., 2008. Pp 192-202.

• Köhler, Lennart, “Voting Rights for Children,” Dagens Medicin, Nov. 12, 2008.

• De Quetteville, Harry, ‘Germany plans to give vote to babies,’ Daily Telegraph, 9 July, 2008.

• Campiglio, Luigi, "Elezioni, delega alle madri per dare voce ai più piccoli," Corriere Della Sera, Mar 10/03/2004, p. 21.

• Sridhar, Lalitha, "Bal Sansads: Members of Parliament at 11," Infochange: news and analysis of social justice and development issues in India (May 2004).

• Koroknay-Palicz, Alex, “Youth Demand a Voice and a Vote,” Wiretap Magazine (May 27, 2003).

• BBC News, "Should Parents Get More than One Vote?" February 10, 2003.

• Thomas, Gillian, "A Vote at Birth," The Guardian, 6 February 2003.

• BBC News, "Give Babies a Vote, Says Think Tank," February 6, 2003.

• Weimann, Mike, "Wahlrecht für Kinder: Eine Streitschrift," (purchase from publisher, or Amazom Germany or Amazon US) 2002 [English translation by the author, 2022: "Voting for Children: A Polemic].

• Lindsey, Duncan, "Why Children Should Have the Vote," January 28, 1998.

• Silverman, Julia, "Fotenos '99 Pursues Child Suffrage," The Brown Daily Herald, September 23, 1997.

• Bayer, Alexei, "Let's Give Parents and Extra Right to Vote," The New York Times, May 4, 1997

• Ringen, Stein, “In a Democracy, Children Should Get the Vote,” The New York Times, Dec 14, 1996.

• Wallace, Vita, “Give Children the Vote,” The Nation, October 14, 1991.

• Carballo, Manuel, "Extra Votes for Parents?" Boston Globe, December 17, 1981.

• Anonymous, "Woman's Suffrage Hits Snag in France: Provision for Men to Vote for Their Minor Children Is Opposed," The New York Times, December 14, 1923.