Voting rights in Northern Ireland should be extended to 17-year-old, the cross-community Women's Coalition said today.
Ms Trudy Miller, who is running in South Down for the Women's Coalition in the November 26th election, claimed that allowing 17-year-olds to vote would help generate more interest among young people in politics.
"If young people can pay tax, marry and drive a car at 17, they should be able to vote," she said. "Many young people are switched off politics because they feel the Government does not listen to their views.
"Lowering the voting age would send a message that their interests are important and issue a challenge to political parties to pay more attention to potential young voters."
The Women's Coalition is the second party in the Assembly election campaign to call for a lower voting age. In its manifesto released yesterday, the Green Party called for the age to be reduced to 16.
The Electoral Commission has canvassed parties for their views on whether the voting age should remain restricted to people of 18 and over.
Ms Miller said her party had a particular interest in issues that have affected young people, including student fees, the minimum wage, education reform and the provision of leisure facilities, skateboard parks and funding for youth clubs.