Lowering the voting age will sway votes.

While some parties cater more towards youth issues and the needs of young people more than others, this shouldn’t be an excuse to avoid lowering the voting age. You shouldn't stop someone from voting just because you don’t like the way they’re going to vote.

We have a representative democracy here in Aotearoa New Zealand, where people from different backgrounds, life experiences, and political perspectives all have a vote and a say on what government represents them.

Lowering the voting age will mean more young people will become part of the voter population. It would allow more voices to be heard and give us a more accurate representation of the wants and needs of everyone across Aotearoa.

If political parties want the support of young people, they'll need to earn it by listening to young people and responding to the issues that matter to them. That's how representative democracy is supposed to work. It would encourage politicians to make better-informed decisions, create policies that work for more people, and ultimately strengthen our democracy.