Earlier this year, more than 70 mayors, deputy mayors and councillors signed a letter to Parliament in support of lowering the voting age. Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox
Hutt City Council has joined most of its neighbours in backing the government's plans to lower the voting age.
Councillors voted on Tuesday to endorse the Make It 16 campaign and a Bill to lower the voting age, which is likely to be considered by MPs next year.
Mayor Campbell Barry said young people were "some of the most politically engaged people" and it was hoped lowering the eligible voting age could turn around low turnout during elections.
"We know once someone votes once, they're more likely to make it a habit for life by voting in future elections," Barry said.
"It makes sense to support that habit starting early while many of our young people are in structured schooling - where civics education could be taught and voter enrolments encouraged," he said.
"We have a young population in Lower Hutt and the region, and we're proud to join our neighbouring councils in Wellington, Kāpiti, and Porirua in endorsing the campaign."
Earlier this year - before the local body elections - more than 70 mayors, deputy mayors and councillors signed a letter to parliament in support of lowering the voting age.
The government announced plans last month to introduce a Bill to Parliament, after the Supreme Court declared the voting age of 18 is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights.
Mayor Campbell Barry says the local body elections could be a starting point for the change. Photo:
Barry said Hutt City Council supported lowering the voting age through two separate Bills, because changing the age in local body elections only required 50 percent majority support in Parliament - not the 75 percent supermajority required to change the law for general elections.
"If the voting age for central government elections isn't lowered through this process, local elections could be an appropriate starting point - which would at least give 16 and 17 year olds the right to participate in their local democracy," he said.
Proposals to lower the voting age have been under consideration for decades, with a Royal Commission Report in 1986 concluding a "strong case" could be made for reducing it to 16, and instructing Parliament to keep it under review.
In September, the Independent Electoral Review Panel published a document seeking feedback on a raft of electoral changes, including lowering the voting age, with a second round of consultation planned for next year.
It was also a proposal from The Future for Local Government Review to boost participation in local elections.
The Make It 16 campaign has calculated that if the Bill passed, about 200,000 more people could be eligible to vote.