Representation of the People Act 1969
Encyclopedia
The Representation of the People Act 1969 is an Act
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It extended suffrage
to 18-20 year olds. Previously, only those 21 or over were permitted to vote. Votes were extended to undergraduate students in their university town following an appeal to the High Court led for the National Union of Students by the Junior Common Room (JCR - official undergraduate student body) of Churchill College, Cambridge
.
Significantly, it did not extend the right to stand for election to Parliament to under-21s.
This statute is sometimes known as the Sixth Reform Act
.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It extended suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
to 18-20 year olds. Previously, only those 21 or over were permitted to vote. Votes were extended to undergraduate students in their university town following an appeal to the High Court led for the National Union of Students by the Junior Common Room (JCR - official undergraduate student body) of Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.In 1958, a Trust was established with Sir Winston Churchill as its Chairman of Trustees, to build and endow a college for 60 fellows and 540 Students as a national and Commonwealth memorial to Winston Churchill; its...
.
Significantly, it did not extend the right to stand for election to Parliament to under-21s.
This statute is sometimes known as the Sixth Reform Act
Reform Act
In the United Kingdom, Reform Act is a generic term used for legislation concerning electoral matters. It is most commonly used for laws passed to enfranchise new groups of voters and to redistribute seats in the British House of Commons...
.