Canton Graubünden rejects lowering voting age to 16

In canton Graubünden, the voting age remains fixed at 18. Keystone-SDA

Voters in canton Graubünden in southeastern Switzerland on Sunday rejected a proposal to lower the voting age to 16. Overall, 67% of residents were against the idea.

Glarus therefore remains the only canton where 16- and 17-year-olds can vote at the cantonal level. In Graubünden, the voting age remains fixed at 18.

Voters in all Graubünden municipalities rejected the proposal to lower the voting age. The strongest ‘no’ vote came from Buseno in Val Calanca, where almost 90% rejected the proposal. This negative trend was confirmed across the Moesa region, which, with almost 78% voting ‘no’, led the way at regional level, followed by the Bernina region, with almost 76% against. Turnout on Sunday was 45%.

Political parties

The Centre Party, the Social Democrats, the Greens, the Protestant Party and the youth wings of the Centre Party and the Liberal Greens had supported the initiative. The centre-right Radical-Liberal Party had abstained, whilst the right-wing Swiss People’s Party and the Young Radical-Liberals had campaigned against it.

Had the proposal been approved, as many as 3,000 young people would have been able to cast their votes in cantonal referendums and elections from next year. The number of eligible voters would thus have risen to 146,000. As regards municipal referendums, local authorities would have been able to continue deciding independently whether to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to take part as well.

In the information leaflet sent to voters, those opposed argued that young people under the age of 18 lacked the necessary political maturity and were at greater risk of being influenced, for example by social media. Furthermore, they believed that setting the voting age at 16 was not in line with the responsibilities laid down in civil and constitutional law.

The majority in the Graubünden parliament, however, saw the proposal as an opportunity to counter the ageing of society and to enable young people to participate in decision-making processes at an earlier stage. They added that the public was to be asked to decide on this “important matter of constitutional law”, which is why even some lawmakers critical of the bill had voted in favour.

‘A heavy defeat’

The initiative committee said Sunday’s result was “a disappointment, but not a surprise”. Andrin Ehrler, a member of the committee, told the Keystone-ATS news agency: “Based on experiences in other cantons, we should have expected this.” Although the result was less decisive than in other parts of Switzerland, it must still be described as a “heavy defeat”.

Ehrler attributes the rejection to a lack of trust in young people, but also to the fact that young people themselves have little confidence in their own abilities. “For this reason, the traditional right-left voting pattern did not even emerge in this vote.” The canton has thus missed an opportunity to take on a pioneering role. Although the proposal has been shelved for the time being, Ehrler believes it is still important to continue reflecting on how to promote young people’s political participation. “A strong youth assembly remains essential,” said Ehrler.

‘No surprise’

The president of the Graubünden government, Martin Bühler, who was oversaw this issue, takes a similar view on the referendum result. He told Keystone-ATS that the result came as no surprise. The proposal was discussed in a very practical and substantive manner, he said. The government had supported lowering the voting age to 16, given that the proposal had originated from the Youth Session and had secured a large majority in parliament.

But the government had also raised certain critical points, such as the risk of a disparity between the right to vote and the right to stand for election. According to Bühler, it is now important to continue promoting young people’s political participation, “so that it is not just others who decide the canton’s future”.

Sunday’s result in canton Graubünden mirrors attitudes to lowering the voting age across the country. In 2024, a similar initiative was also rejected at national level by the federal parliament. Last year, 80% of voters in canton Lucerne rejected a proposal to lower the voting age. Attempts in other cantons, on the other hand, have failed either in parliament or in referendums.

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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist.