What pivotal change occurred in 1969 regarding voting rights in the UK?

Okay, let's talk about voting rights in the UK and what happened in 1969. Before this year, the voting age was actually 21. Think about that for a second – you could serve in the military, get married, and even own property, but you couldn't vote until you were 21! There was a growing sense that this was unfair, especially as young people were becoming more politically engaged. The late 1960s were a time of social change and youth activism, and lowering the voting age was seen as a way to give young people a voice in shaping their future. So, in 1969, the Representation of the People Act lowered the voting age to 18 for both men and women across the UK. This was a huge moment for democracy, enfranchising millions of young adults and changing the political landscape. It's worth noting that women over 30 being given the vote happened much earlier, in 1918, and compulsory voting and prisoners being given the vote are still not the case in the UK.