Parliament may consider lowering the voting age, says Canada's elections chief
Ottawa, Mar 19 (IBNS): Canada's elections chief has said the parliament may consider lowering the voting age to 16, media reports said.
Acting chief electoral officer Stephane Perrault said it is only the parliament which can consider such a move.
Perrault told CBC News that the idea of lowering the voting age is "worth considering".
He told CBC News, "Voting when you're 16 is voting at a time when most Canadians at that age are still in school, at a place that we can actually get to them and engage them."
"We know that Canadians who vote early in their lifetime will continue to vote, and those who don't vote in the first few elections will tend not to vote later on. So there's a real benefit to making sure that Canadians vote early, and voting when you're 16, there's an opportunity to reach out to them." the chief added.
In Canada, British Columbia is considering the idea provincially.
Perrault has said the matter is yet to be discussed widely in the parliament.
He insisted the lowering of voting age as several other rights in Canada are granted to the citizens at an of 16.
The driving license is also granted at the of 16.
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