We have given up our right to vote so that children can vote

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During 2024 more voters than ever in history are heading to the polls, as at least 64 countries and regions are holding national elections. The results of these elections will prove consequential, if only because the number of people called to vote represent a combined population of almost half the world’s population. However, there is still a third of these citizens who are not allowed to vote, namely, children.

We are a group of adult activists and/or academics who have been for years advocating for children’s right to vote. The case for ageless suffrage has been rigorously and widely made in academic papers, op-eds, media articles, and reports (see Children's Voting Colloquium for resources). But we are still a minority.

As the laws of every country in the world show, the general assumption is that children should not vote because they are considered incompetent, irrational or too young to do so. However, the interdisciplinary field of Childhood Studies has clearly demonstrated that children are competent agents. More importantly, children themselves have shown their impressive political capacities and knowledge by organizing to impact policies, laws, and common sense, be it in leadership in the climate movement, advocacy for transgender rights, groups of organized working children in the majority world, or indeed the filing of lawsuits for children’s rights to vote.

Requiring competence to vote is a flawed argument in the first place. Historically, voting was tied to property, literacy, and being an adult man, but it is now a universal human right. It is the sheer fact of being human that justifies everyone’s right to vote, and competence or rationality have nothing to do with it. Consider this analogy: when we visit a doctor, they know more about our illness and treatment than us, but ultimately the decision about whether to proceed is ours, not theirs. Similarly, the authority to vote is based not on political expertise but on the fundamental right to have a say in the decisions that impact one’s life.

We usually hear claims that adults are politically rational (no matter how poorly made our choices often are). However, the purpose of democratic voting is to account for all impacted perspectives. Thus, it is clearly discriminatory to keep depriving children of suffrage on the basis of their supposed incompetence, because a similar incompetence is (rightly!) not usually considered grounds for excluding adults.

But since arguments never seem to be good enough for those in power, the sad and unjust case is that children are still everywhere denied the vote simply because of their age.

So we, the undersigned, have decided that in solidarity with children and as a protest against this blatant injustice, until children reach the voting age, each of us will transfer our vote to a child who is willing to accept it; these may be our own children, when we have them, but also our grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or some other child we might be acquainted with. This child will be able to use the vote (or not) however they see fit. In a world that is literally burning to ashes due to adult voting decisions, we think it is not fair that children’s voices are silenced.

Some of us have already started acting on this decision, which has been received with enthusiasm and eagerness by the children we have approached, some as young as 6. This is being carried out differently depending on country and jurisdiction. In Spain, for example, the child takes the ballot paper of their choice, puts it in the corresponding envelope and deposits it inside the ballot box, the adult only needing to show their ID. In the US, the child goes with an adult into the voting booth or fills out the form when voting by mail, so it is a simple matter of letting them check the boxes instead of ourselves. In other countries it is harder for children to materially put the ballot paper in the ballot box or check the boxes, but our commitment is to be their obedient proxies, so in these cases we duly follow their instructions.

Regardless of practical differences, children are voting, either aligned to our own ideas or against them, as their simple human, if not yet legal, right.

Of course, we know this is not the ideal solution. No one should renounce their right to vote. But it is the more democratic solution given the current state of affairs. We call on elected representatives, policymakers, political parties, labour unions, NGOs, and social movements, to reflect on the injustice of denying children their right to vote.

We know that every group that has gained the right to vote throughout history has seen their lives systematically and substantially improved. Children’s lives, as well as adults’, will be better off. Governments might finally gain urgency on the climate crisis, properly fund education, ensure lifelong healthcare, lift families out of poverty, and advance other policies previously shunned due to ignoring children's voices. And democracies themselves might become more robust by no longer telling citizens for the first quarter of their lives that their voices do not count.

Until children’s enfranchisement becomes a reality, we give the following advice to our politicians: do not plan and execute your political campaigns thinking of convincing us; work, rather, to convince children.


Please sign by completing the information below, including your full name, affiliation (if any), and country. Names of new signatories will be added in blocks.

**Signatories are individuals and do not represent their organisations/institutions.**

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Signatories

1. Matías Cordero Arce, Independent Researcher and Educator at a Juvenile Justice Centre, Basque Country, Spain.

2. John Wall, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Religion, and Childhood Studies, Director of the Childism Institute, Rutgers University, USA.

3. Larisa Abrickaja, Policy Advisor, Child Rights International Network (CRIN), UK.

4. Hedi Viterbo, Senior Lecturer of Law, Queen Mary University of London, UK.

5. Jasmina Arnez, Research Associate at the Institute of Criminology at the Faculty of Law, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and the Centre of Criminology, University of Oxford, UK.

6. Gialuanna Enkra Ayora Vázquez, Lecturer in Sociology, Universidad Veracruzana, member of the Latin-American Research Network with Childhoods and Youths (REIR), Mexico. 

7. Judith Bessant, Professor at the School of Global, Urban & Social Studies, RMIT University, Australia.

8. Nicolás Brando, Derby Fellow, School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool, UK.

9. Mario Andrés Candelas, Social Educator and Pedagogue, Madrid, Spain.

10. Michelle Ciurria, Instructor of Philosophy, Washington University in St. Louis, USA.

11. Pedro Francke, Professor Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, former Minister of Economy and Finance of Peru. 

12. Begoña Leyra, Senior Lecturer in Social Work, School of Social Work, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.

13. Manfred Liebel, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Applied Sciences, Potsdam, Germany.

14. Marta Martínez Muñoz. Sociologist and Researcher in Childhood Studies and Human Rights, Enclave de Evaluación, Spain.

15. Heloísa A. Matos Lins, Associate Professor at the School of Education, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil.

16. Rossana Mendoza Zapata, PhD in Social Sciences, Childhood and Youth, Peru.

17. Santiago Morales, Co-coordinator of the Research Group on "Childhoods and Youths”, at the Instituto de Estudios de América Latina y El Caribe, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

18. Céline Jeannot Piétroy, Maître de Conferences, Université Jean Monnet, France

19. Maura Priest, Assistant Professor of Philosophy/Bioethicist, Arizona State University, USA.

20. Lucia Rabello de Castro, Professor at the Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

21. Paülah Nurit Shabel, CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

22. Elizabeth Giri, Research Scholar on Children and Sexuality, Gurukul Lutheran Theological college and Research Institute, Chennai, India

23. Turkan Firinci Orman, Associate Professor of Sociology, Interuniversity Council of Turkey- Independent Academic, Finland.

24. Carolina Echegaray, former PhD student at University of Edinburgh, youth worker, activist and organizer, UK.

25. Valeria Llobet, CONICET-Universidad de San Martín, Argentina.

26. María Helena Ramírez Cabanzo, Fundación Universitaria del Areandina, Bogotá, Colombia.

27. Jo Staines, Professor of Youth Justice and Child Welfare, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, UK.

28. Alda Ribeiro Coelho, Mother and Master of Architecture in Sustainable Environmental Design, UK.

29. Αngelos Hadjikoumis, father and archaeologist, The Cyprus Institute, Republic of Cyprus. 

30. Helen Veitch, Children's Rights Advocate, Children Unite, UK.

31. Laurence Harris, Emeritus Professor of Economics, School of Finance and Management, SOAS University of London, UK.

32. Walter Omar Kohan, Professor of Philosophy of Education, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

33. Afua Twum-Danso Imoh, Associate Professor in Global Childhoods and Welfare, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, UK.

34. Silvio D de O Gallo, Professor of Philosophy of Education, State University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil

35. Dr. Lori Brakhage, Linguistic Anthropology and Organizational Dynamics, Apex Collective Strategies

36. Karin Murris, Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Oulu; Emerita Professor, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

37. Priscilla Alderson, Professor Emerita of Childhood Studies, Social Research Institute, University College London, UK.

38. Adam Richards, UK Secondary Educator, The Academy, Leicester, UK.

39. Carlos Eduardo Albuquerque Miranda, Faculdade de Educação, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil.

40. Dr Jenny Ritchie, Associate Professor, School of Education, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

41. Alankrita S, Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.

42. Dr Jessica Roy, Senior Lecturer in Child and Family Welfare, University of Bristol, UK.

43. Maria del Milagro Lozada, Senior Lecturer in Spanish, University of Pennsylvania, USA.

44. Bob Whittle, retired television camera operator.

45. Harry Cooper, citizen, UK.

46. Diana Mora López, dHesarrolla AC, México.

47. Yvonne Campbell, Children’s Charity Consultant , UK.

48. Guilherme do Val Toledo Prado, Professor Titular, Faculdade de Educação, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Brasil

49. Marleena Mustola, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education Research, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

50. Moloud Soleimani, PhD Student in Childhood Studies, Rutgers University–Camden, USA.

51. Cath Larkins, Professor, Centre for Children and Young People's Participation, University of Central Lancashire, UK

52. Tali Noimann, City University of New York, USA.

53. Anna Perry, PhD Candidate in Childhood Studies, Rutgers University, USA.

54. Tatek Abebe, Professor of Childhood Studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU, Norway.

55. Ibon Herran Muruaga, Sarete, self-managed space for research, reflection and educational action, Basque Country.

56. Gualtiero Piccinini, Curators’ Distinguished Professor, University of Missouri, USA.

57. Antonio Miguel, Brazil

58. Elisabeth Barolli, Faculdade de Educação, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil.

59. Jeffrey Canton, Canada.

60. Luis Alberto Narro, Coordinator at a Juvenile Justice Centre, Basque Country, Spain.

61. Matteo Rizzolli, professor of economic polity, LUMSA Univesity, Rome, Italy.

62. Lucia Marchegiani, professor of Organizational studies, University of Roma 3, Italy.

63. Dustin Ciufo, Assistant Professor, Department of Childhood and Youth Studies, King’s University College at Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.

64. Philip D. Jaffé, member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, Switzerland.

65. Hoa Mai Trần, Educational Scientiest/Childhood Pedagogue/Researcher, University of Siegen, Germany.

66. Clémentine Beauvais, Senior Lecturer in Children's Literature, University of York, UK.

67. Prof Rob Watts, RMIT University, Australia.

68. Dorion Carter Wilson, United States.

69. Rhea Hefford, Student of Childhood Studies at the University of Bristol, UK.

70. Michael Whitlock, UK.

71. Gillian Harrow, UK.

72. Alexandre Barchechat, Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, University of Washington at Bothell, USA.

73. Dr. Paige Gray, Savannah College of Art and Design, USA.

74. J. Marshall Beier, Professor, Department of Political Science, McMaster University, Canada.

75. Franco Carnevale, VOICE: The Childhood Ethics Project; McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

76. Will Younts, PhD Student in English at University of Tennessee - Knoxville, USA.

77. Mahtab Eshaghbeigi-Hosseini, Ph.D.-student at Umeå University, Sweden

78. Nobonke van Tonder, South Africa

79. Flávia Ferreira Pires, Associated Professor Anthropology, Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil.

80. Nollaig Rydz, Colorado USA

81.Anita Svantesson, Sweden

82. Mary Kay Keller, Children's Human Rights Advocate, USA

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