First teenager to vote in a UK election fifty years ago urges young people to get involved in politics

7 min readNov 22, 2020

Today (March 12) marks fifty years since one vote in Bridgwater made history.

The town’s 1970 by-election was the first time teenagers in the UK could vote after the age was reduced from 21 to 18.

The first teenager to vote in that UK election has now urged young people to get involved in politics to help decide on their future.

Trudy Sellick, from North Newton, voted when the polls for the Bridgwater by-election opened at 7am on 12th March 1970 — which happened to be her 18th birthday.

In doing so she became the youngest voter in the country’s history.

The by-election was called after the death of sitting MP Sir Gerald Wills and the Conservatives hold the seat with Tom King winning.

Trudy’s cross on her ballot paper made her famous around the world.

When I got to the polling station it was full of reporters and going in through the gates they all sang happy birthday to me.
Trudy Sellick

Since Trudy’s moment, millions of teenagers have exercised their right at the ballot box.

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Year 11 students at Haygrove School in Bridgwater know what happened in their town on that day, but they’re split over further changes.

Sixteen year-olds haven’t really reached that maturity and level of education as most eighteen year-olds have.
Finley Davey
I think it’s a difficult conversation but I think the voting age should be lowered. The Brexit referendum, the Scottish Independence would have been completely different had there been a higher youth turnout.
Joshua Warren
If we can get married with parental consent, if we can go into the armed forces with parental consent and we can do many other things at our age why can’t we vote and have the decision for our future?
Izzy Keane

Fifty years on, Trudy Sellick remains passionate about young people having their say and whether the age comes down or not, she hopes more teenagers will feel as excited about voting as she did.

The lowest turnout is the younger people — that is something that’s really a problem at the moment. We need to get the younger ones to express their views and take their vote while they have it.
Trudy Sellick

First teenager to vote in a UK election fifty years ago urges young people to get involved in politics

Written by kiramagi