Voting from the age of sixteen

In the 21st century, the voting age in Austria was gradually lowered to 16. This bachelor’s thesis examines the development of voting rights and the voting age up to this latest change. Since political education aims to educate school pupils to become responsible voters, the thesis also looks at its history, its intentions and extracurricular youth education. The central research question here is to what extent do sixteen-year-old citizens express their political interest? This question was investigated using quantitative research conducted with 584 students at various schools. The results show that the vast majority are interested in politics and in voting. They inform themselves about politics and want to be involved in school decision-making processes.