Reform Jersey’s leader has welcomed UK plans to lower the voting age to 16, saying the change has had a “positive impact” in Jersey since its introduction nearly 20 years ago.

Deputy Sam Mézec said: “I am pleased for young people in the UK that votes are being extended to 16- and 17-year-olds.”

The UK government pledge is part of a raft of measures being introduced through a new Elections Bill.

Other changes include expanding forms of voter ID to include UK-issued bank cards, moving towards automatic voter registration, and tightening rules on political donations to protect against foreign interference.

We lowered the voting age back in 2008 and it’s had a positive impact for those who chose to take up this right

Deputy Sam Mézec

Deputy Mézec expressed concerns about that amount of negativity in political commentary surrounding the issue.

He said that have been “all sorts of weird doomsday predictions” about how the reduced voting age will “degrade politics” in the UK.

Deputy Mézec explained that Jersey lowered the voting age to 16 in 2008, which he said had a “positive impact for those who chose to take up this right and it has forced politicians to do more to engage with voters who are still at school”.

He added: “I have personally been into multiple schools to talk to students, who often ask extremely insightful questions and don’t hold back.

“Unlike in the UK, these have been people who are allowed to vote. So I think the combined efforts from everyone will probably mean a higher turn out of young voters next time.”

The politician acknowledged that the turnout rate for young voters is low, but added: “It’s low for voters of any age in Jersey.”

“It is unfair to single out young people,” said Deputy Mézec.

“We need to do more across our politics as a whole to make it more accessible for all islanders.

“We can start by scrapping our ridiculously complicated and undemocratic voting system, by having one type of States Member elected on an equal basis. Party politics would also help immensely.”

He pointed to his party’s own youth branch Reform Youth as an example of this in action.