The government has wel-comed a review of the minimum voting age by the Electoral Commission.

The commission has announced it is to consider whether 16 and 17 year olds should be able to vote.

Under current legislation you must be 18 to vote and 21 to stand as a candidate in an election. A consultation paper will be published this summer, and any recommendations for change are timetabled for early next year.

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission said: "The review responds to a growing call from organisations to consider lowering the voting age to promote participation in democracy and address the real issue of young people feeling disconnected from the political system.

"There are clear signs of public disengagement with the voting progress, particularly among the youngest section of the electorate. Fewer than four in ten 18-24 year olds were estimated to have voted at the last general election dropping to just 11 per cent at last year’s local elections in England."

- For more information go to www.electoralcommission.org.uk