Make it 16 will take its case to the Supreme Court after failing the group’s efforts in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals in 2020 and last year.
They argue that their case is a human rights issue.
“A formal statement from the Supreme Court would send a strong message to Parliament that they need to remedy this violation of our rights,” Cate Tipler, co-director of Make It 16, said earlier.
“It would force Parliament and the government to see this as a priority and drive the movement for change.”
Tipler said receiving leave to appeal to the Supreme Court in the bid to lower the voting age from 18 in time for this year’s local elections was “very exciting”.
“This means that rangatahi will have their day in the Supreme Court. To prevent me and other 16- and 17-year-olds from voting is unjustified ageism. It’s a violation of the Bill of Rights.”
Founded in July 2019 by youth activists both above and below the voting age, the group advocates “making more people’s votes count in our democracy,” according to their website.
Make It 16 co-director Sanat Singh said the Supreme Court, which has granted leave for further appeals, offered a chance to get a formal statement from the highest court banning 16 and 17-year-olds from voting. unjustified age discrimination.
Attorney General David Parker’s position is that the previous Supreme Court decision was correct in rejecting the statement Make it 16 seeks.
He said Section 12 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, which states that any New Zealand citizen over the age of 18 may vote in parliamentary elections, governs any restriction on the voting age.
Municipal elections will be held on October 8.