Teens are small but informed proportion of voters, experts say as Britain plans landmark electoral reform

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

MALVERN, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - SEPTEMBER 10, 2024) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF TEACHER AND PUPILS IN CLASSROOM

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 17, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JESS GARLAN, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND RESEARCH AT ELECTORAL REFORM SOCIETY, SAYING:

"It is such a positive change for our democracy because this isn't just about 16 and 17 year olds voting. This is actually about 3040 year olds voting, because what we know is if you vote when you were younger, if you develop that habit of voting, then you go on to be a lifelong voter."

MALVERN, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - SEPTEMBER 10, 2024) (REUTERS - Access all)

3. VARIOUS OF TEACHER AND PUPILS IN CLASSROOM

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 17, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JESS GARLAN, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND RESEARCH AT ELECTORAL REFORM SOCIETY, SAYING:

"Yes, so some people, you know, have questions like, oh, these six and 17 year olds going to be able to do it. And what we know from other countries about this is introduced is that actually 16, 17 year olds are making decisions of an equal quality to older voters."

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JULIAN GALLIE, HEAD OF RESEARCH AT MERLIN STRATEGY, SAYING:

"When we look at 16, 17 year olds, they do make up a very small percentage of the UK voting population, especially when you take into account how many will actually vote. So in our poll, we saw that less than one in five 16, 17 year-olds say they would definitely vote. And we know historically turnout amongst younger age groups has been significantly lower than those in the older age groups."

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JULY 4, 2024) (REUTERS - Access all)

6. WORKER PUTTING UP SIGN FOR POLLING STATION

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 17, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JULIAN GALLIE, HEAD OF RESEARCH AT MERLIN STRATEGY, SAYING:

"I think we've seen and even amongst 18 to 24 year olds and younger voters, that these groups are turning away from mainstream media. They're getting their news from TikTok, from YouTube and not getting their news from BBC or broadsheets. So there will be a requirement to if parties want to connect with these groups, they're going to have to work more on social media and actually reach 16, 17 year olds where they're getting their media, not where traditionally voters have."

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JULY 4, 2024) (REUTERS - Access all)

8. POLLING BOOTH

9. PEN TIED TO A STRING IN POLLING BOOTH