The voting age in Finnish municipal elections could be lowered to 16 in time for the 2016 elections, according to a statement by experts on Tuesday.

A ministry of justice working group is currently looking into the possibility of allowing 16-year-olds to vote in municipal elections. The initiative is intended to improve voting activity amongst the youth.

The constitution requires changes to the voting age to be passed by two consecutive Parliaments, which makes the reform difficult to implement before the 2012 municipal elections.

The change would cost the government somewhere between 80,000 and 750,000 euros, depending on how much is spent on campaigns to activate the young voters.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland lowered the voting age in this year's parish elections from 18 to 16.

Source: http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/d...lections-.html