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Lower voting age could swing Herefordshire seat

Lower voting age could swing Herefordshire seat

Yahoo22-07-2025
Hereford and South Herefordshire is among constituencies that could be swung by 16- and 17-year-olds at the next election, following the government's announcement yesterday (July 17) of plans to lower the voting age from 18 to 16.
The current Conservative MP for the seat Jesse Norman saw off his Labour challenger by just 1,279 votes at the last general election a year ago.
But official figures published by the House of Commons Library show there are currently 2,016 young people aged 16 and 17 in the constituency.
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Mr Norman was asked to comment on the planned change and its likely consequences.
Meanwhile in North Herefordshire, Green MP Ellie Chowns, currently campaigning to become joint leader of the party nationally, tweeted: 'On this one, Labour have got it right: votes at 16 is long overdue.'
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With a majority of 5,894 over the Conservatives a year ago, compared to 1,884 16- and 17-year-olds in the constituency, she would appear to be less impacted by the change.
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In both constituencies, young people in this range make up just over two per cent of the population, slightly below the national average.
Meanwhile a seat-by-seat analysis by Stats for Lefties based on the polling this week by Find Out Now predicts that if a general election were held now, Hereford and South Herefordshire would fall to Reform UK, which would gain an outright majority in Parliament.
Ellie Chowns would retain her North Herefordshire seat for the Greens, who would gain a further six seats nationally, Stats for Lefties said.
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Voices: By likening Nigel Farage to Jimmy Savile, Peter Kyle has handed Reform a free gift

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