As widespread interest in the policy idea of 16- and 17-year-old voting has increased among advocates and policymakers in recent years, so too has interest in academic research on the topic. Scholars in the fields of political science, law, psychology, and beyond, from the United States and around the world, have contributed to collective understanding of the policy idea both in theory and in practice.
This literature review seeks to summarize the most relevant research on the topic. Our hope is that this document introduces readers to the wealth of research that exists in this area, serves as an entry point for further investigation, and inspires ideas for new, original research to help expand our collective knowledge.
The document includes a short summary of the most important takeaways from the research reviewed, followed by detailed summaries of individual sources, which are presented alphabetically by author.
Please visit vote16research.org for more information on the Research Network and to get in touch, including to recommend new research to be added to future editions of this review.