​

​

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

​

Days to Commemorate:

 

• International Day of Democracy (15 September)

• World Children's Day (20 November)

• Human Rights Day (10 December)

​

Academic publications on eliminating all voting ages:

​

Philosophy

​

• 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.

​

History

​

• 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

​

• 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).

​

Social Sciences

​

• 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.
   

Economics

​

• 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).

​

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.

​

Medicine

​

•  

• 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

​

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

• 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)

​

• 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).

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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].

• Ringen, Stein, “In a Democracy, Children Should Get the Vote,” 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.