By Arret Jatta
The Center for Good Governance (CGG) has proposed a reduction in the voting age from 18 to 16, or 17 years for Local Government and Parliamentary elections only.
The proposal, presented by CGG founder Alasan Sowe during a press briefing yesterday, aims to strengthen democratic trust, institutional legitimacy and lifelong civic participation.
“This flagship paper argues that youth suffrage reform is not merely a generational concession, but a democratic necessity. It proposes a measured and evidence-based reduction of the voting age to 16-17 exclusively for Local Government and Parliamentary elections, while explicitly excluding Presidential elections at this stage,” he said.
According to Sowe, international experience shows that lowering the voting age, accompanied by civic education and institutional preparedness, enhances participation without weakening democratic legitimacy.
He referenced countries like Austria, Scotland, Brazil and Argentina that have successfully implemented similar reforms, with positive outcomes.
Sowe emphasised that this exclusion of presidential elections at this stage reflects prudence, not inconsistency, and aligns with international best practice, citing the high stake and symbolic weight associated with the office.
Addressing concerns about maturity and manipulation, Sowe pointed to empirical evidence showing that 16-17-year-old voters display comparable levels of political reasoning and issue-based voting to older first-time voters when provided with basic civic education.
“In the Gambian context, Afrobarometer Round 10 (2024) shows that over 60 percent of young Gambians demonstrate awareness of their civic rights and responsibilities, although rural-urban disparities persist. These disparities point not to incapacity, but to the need for targeted civic education, rather than continued exclusion,” he added.
The CGG recommends a phased and voluntary approach, starting with a pilot programme for Local Government elections, followed by Parliamentary elections, and eventually Presidential elections when sufficient democratic maturity and consensus are achieved.
As a newly registered civil society organisation, the CGG has positioned itself as a neutral, research-driven convener, committed to civic education programming, independent monitoring and evaluation, and annual public reporting to ensure transparency and accountability.
