I stood there before the crosses 

glowing white in row on row

With most major parties supporting the move, Alliance, SDLP, Sinn Fein and the Greens look set to run into opposition in the form of the DUP and the UUP, however politicians from every party have indicated their desire to see the voting age lowered. Why is this so important? Well here goes:

At the age of 16 I got my National Insurance number, I was allowed to enlist in the British armed forces, pay income tax for a full time job or get a driving license for a moped (pay insurance and road tax), pay for my own optical and dental treatment, choose my own GP, have consensual sex or buy a lottery ticket. The one thing I couldn't do was vote, and I couldn't until I was 18. That seemed unfair to me at the time, and it still does as a man of 24, that young people who I work with and pay national insurance are unable to vote for the people who will spend their tax money and make the decisions that will affect their chances of employment, access to higher education and public services.

The counter-argument of course is that young people of the age of 16 are aren't going to be interested enough in politics to want to vote. If we are using this example then perhaps we should do away with voting altogether in NI as only 47% of registered voters actually did so in the last local and Assembly elections. The desire of the electorate to want to vote is irrelevant when deciding upon who should be allowed to vote.

The enfranchisement of young people will force politicians to court their vote, to fight for their interests Parliament or in devolved legislatures and allow young people to hold them accountable on issues such as changes to education, public transport, healthcare as well as access to employment and benefits and housing, all of which affect young people as young as 16 directly.

There is of course the counter-argument that 16 year olds will be too young to understand or comprehend the complexities of politics. As a youth worker who has delivered programmes tailored around politics and civic duty I find that attitude offensive and indicative of the apathy certain politicians have towards young people. Young people are forced to make decisions on their education and future at the age of 16, they are bright, opinionated and assertive, do you really think they can't decide which box to tick come election time?

Perhaps this is more about which boxes they will tick, who they will vote for and why disenfranchisement of 16 year olds is more politically convenient for parties that cater to a more conservative and generally older voter base? Perhaps to continue to disenfranchise 16 year olds is easier for older politicians who may be scared of being seen as out of touch to remain beyond the reach of accountability by a younger electorate? I digress.

To allow 16 year olds to vote is an opportunity for Northern Ireland to join a growing list of nations who recognise the potential of their youth and are encouraging them to embrace politics and civic engagement. Northern Ireland is suffering from a lack of interest and a pandemic of apathy amongst its voters, opening the doors to 16 and 17 year olds being allowed to vote will encourage younger candidates, more forward thinking policies and perhaps a breath of fresh air into the Northern Ireland political arena.

I wish nothing but luck to the politicians and young people campaigning tomorrow for the Assembly to do the right thing, and I am hopeful and confident that together they can show the world that Northern Ireland is a place that values its younger citizens.