THE PRACTICE OF APPLYING AGE RESTRICTIONS IN THE EXERCISE OF VOTING RIGHTS OF CITIZENS

Abstract

The paper is dedicated to issues on applying age restrictions in the exercise of voting rights of citizens. There is stressed, the world election practice provides specific restrictions in general Voting Right. These restrictions are qualifications implementing of which is aimed to determinate group of voters clearly, and criteria for applicants for a position in a representative body of Public Authority. According to branch nature, legal qualification belongs to Constitutional and Legal concept; and it reflects in specific forms in Constitutional Legislation. There is outlined, expansion of opportunities for involving youth and teenagers into political field is topical discussion in legal and politologycal fields. Despite to providing by majority states in the world minimal age of 18 years for participation in election, demographical changes, expansion of education, wider access to information in particular, due to new Internet-technologies as well as increasing information about policy, significant simplify both processes of decisions making among youth and ability to make political choice. Achieving the age for voting, means the start participating of a person in making democratic decisions. Despite to specific conservative counteraction, the trend of reducing the age qualification to 16 years of age arises. The mentioned above allows us to suggest such changes and additions to the current National Legislation particularly, Voting Code of Ukraine, as abolition of restrictions on participation in local elections for citizens who at the time of the election reached 16 years of age and were “emancipated” in the manner prescribed by Civil and Family Law (provisions of Article 35 of the Civil Code of Ukraine and 23 of the Civil Code of Ukraine).