October 30, 2025
RED FM News Desk
A Vancouver City Councillor who was advocating for lowering the municipal voting age in the city to 16 suffered a defeat yesterday.
The motion failed to pass at yesterday’s council meeting, with three councillors voting in favor and five councillors voting against it. Two councillors and Mayor Ken Sim were absent.
Councillor Pete Fry introduced a motion that sought to have the City reaffirm its support for lowering the minimum voting age from 18 and ask the Province to amend the Vancouver Charter.
Councillor Fry’s Argument
Fry argued that young people are directly impacted by political decisions, including those regarding education, employment, housing, climate change, and transportation. He states that youth aged 16 and 17 are increasingly involved in civic issues and should be given the opportunity to participate in political life.
His motion cited several countries where the voting age is 16 at at least one level of government.
The power to amend the Vancouver Charter to lower the voting age rests with the provincial government.
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