This bill is currently before Parliament.
Government & democracy
The bill would lower the voting age for Australian federal elections and referendums from 18 to 16.
The bill was introduced because Senator Jordon Steele-John and the Greens argued that 16- and 17-year-olds are affected by government decisions but are excluded from voting in federal elections and referendums. The explanatory memorandum framed the bill as expanding democratic participation: it would lower the voting age to 16, move provisional enrolment to 14, keep compulsory voting while protecting 16- and 17-year-olds from fines for not voting, and let eligible people enrol or update their address at a polling centre so they can cast a provisional voteA vote that is set aside for checking before it is admitted to the count, often because a person’s enrolment status or details need to be confirmed..
The bill sits in a long-running argument about youth participation in Australian democracy. The collected sources show earlier Labor interest in votes at 16, Greens support for extending the franchise, overseas examples cited by the bill’s sponsor, and renewed debate after the bill lapsed and was restored in the 48th Parliament.
The collected source bundle did not include enough substantive opposition material to summarise specific criticisms of the bill. One Australian Financial Review article was collected with a headline opposing votes at 16, but the extracted text available locally only preserved background about Greens, Labor and Monique Ryan support, not the article’s reasons against the policy.
Senator Jordon Steele-John introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Greens.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
1218 days
Updated 10 June 2026.
Meaning
The bill would lower the voting age for Australian federal elections and referendums from 18 to 16.
It would keep compulsory voting for 16- and 17-year-olds, but being 16 or 17 would be a valid reason for failing to vote, allowing a Deputy Returning Officer not to issue a penalty notice.
The bill would lower the age for provisional enrolment from 16 to 14, so young people could get on the electoral roll before they become old enough to vote.
Eligible Australians who are not enrolled, or are enrolled at the wrong address, could enrol or update their address at a polling centre and cast a provisional voteA vote that is set aside for checking before it is admitted to the count, often because a person’s enrolment status or details need to be confirmed..
A person using same-day enrolment would need to give a claim for enrolment and show identity evidence, such as a driver licence, Australian passport, attestation from an enrolled person, or another prescribed form of evidence.
The changes to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 are intended to lower the minimum age of a voter in Australian federal elections and referenda from 18 to 16 years of ageElectoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) explanatory memorandum
The Bill also includes being 16 or 17 years of age as a valid reason allowing the Deputy Returning Officer to waive fines for failing to vote.Electoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) explanatory memorandum
Omit "age 16", substitute "age 14".Electoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) introduced bill text
Australians who are eligible to vote, but who are not yet on the electoral roll or are not enrolled at their correct address, can enrol to vote or update their address at a polling centre on election dayElectoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) explanatory memorandum
A person mentioned in paragraph (1)(f) must present to the polling official: (a) a claim for enrolment in accordance with section 101; and (b) any of the following evidence as to the person’s identityElectoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) introduced bill text
Context
The bill sits in a long-running argument about youth participation in Australian democracy. The collected sources show earlier Labor interest in votes at 16, Greens support for extending the franchise, overseas examples cited by the bill’s sponsor, and renewed debate after the bill lapsed and was restored in the 48th Parliament.
Labor floats votes at 16
The Australian Financial Review reported Bill Shorten arguing for a Labor plan under which Australia’s minimum voting age could be as young as 16.
Australian Financial Review ↗Human rights report cited youth voice
Senator Steele-John’s second reading speech said a 2019 Australian Human Rights Commission report found people under 18 felt they had no voice in society and were frustrated by limits on political participation.
Second reading speech ↗New Zealand court noted voting-age discrimination
Senator Steele-John’s second reading speech cited a 2022 New Zealand Supreme Court ruling that the voting age of 18 was discriminatory to young people.
Second reading speech ↗Senate bill introduced by Steele-John
Senator Jordon Steele-John introduced the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) Bill 2023 in the Senate and tabled an explanatory memorandum.
Parliament of Australia ↗Bill lapses at Parliament’s end
The APH bill history records the bill as having lapsed at the end of the Parliament.
Parliament of Australia ↗UK reform renews Australian debate
The Australian Financial Review reported that the Greens had long supported extending the franchise, that Labor had supported the idea during the Bill Shorten years, and that Monique Ryan had pledged a private member’s bill after the UK move to lower its voting age.
Australian Financial Review ↗Senate restores the bill
The APH bill history records the bill as restored to the Senate Notice PaperThe official list of business before a house of Parliament. Restoring the bill to the Notice Paper put it back on the Senate’s agenda after it lapsed. two days after it lapsed.
Parliament of Australia ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
The collected source bundle did not include enough substantive opposition material to summarise specific criticisms of the bill. One Australian Financial Review article was collected with a headline opposing votes at 16, but the extracted text available locally only preserved background about Greens, Labor and Monique Ryan support, not the article’s reasons against the policy.
This does not prove the bill faced no criticism; it means the local source text did not contain enough detail to write fact-grounded criticism cards.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Jordon Steele-John supported the bill as a way to give 16- and 17-year-olds representation, improve civic participation, and let eligible people enrol at a polling place if they can prove they are entitled to vote.
Read in Hansard ↗Stephen Bates supported lowering the voting age to 16, arguing that young people are already politically engaged and should have a vote on decisions about climate change, health care, housing, racial justice and their future.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
2 speakers · 2 support
“We can do that by lowering the voting age to 16 in Australia. This bill would allow us to change the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 to lower the minimum age of a voter”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Lowering the voting age to 16 would give young people the opportunity to have a real say over the politics and policies that will impact them for the rest of their lives.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Lapsed at end of Parliament
Lapsed at end of Parliament
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Restored to Notice Paper
Restored to Notice PaperThe official list of business before a house of Parliament. Restoring the bill to the Notice Paper put it back on the Senate’s agenda after it lapsed.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
