5,000 new Donegal electors in prospect if young people are given the vote as Thomas Pringle pushes for over 16s franchise referendum

Approximately 5,000 new voters will be entitled to vote in Donegal if a bid to extend the franchise to teenagers over the age of 16 succeeds.
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Independent Donegal T.D. Thomas Pringle has brought forward a new Private Members’ Bill to allow young adults who are not yet 18 to vote. He introduced the bill as teenagers in Scotland and Wales cast their ballots in elections in Britain last week.

Deputy Pringle’s bill proposes asking the Irish people if Article 16 of the Constitution should be amended to reduce the age of eligibility to vote in Dáil elections from 18 years to 16 years.

“Estimated figures suggest that upwards of 126,000 young people would be eligible to vote, with perhaps up to 5,000 of those in Donegal,” he said.