Significant changes to Cyprus’s electoral laws are underway, with the House of Representatives set to discuss proposals aimed at automatic voter registration and lowering the voting age to 17.

On January 22, the Council of Ministers approved a package of 13 legislative amendments addressing various electoral issues. These proposals, which will soon be sent to the House of Representatives and its Internal Affairs Committee, are expected to be debated and finalized before May 2025 to enable their implementation for the 2026 parliamentary elections.

If the proposed laws are approved, over 92,000 new voters are expected to be added to the electoral roll. This includes approximately 84,000 citizens aged 18 and above who are currently eligible but not registered, as well as about 4,000 individuals aged 17 to 18, should the voting age be lowered. Another 4,000 individuals turning 17 by the 2026 parliamentary elections will also be eligible under the new provisions.

Automatic voter registration will be based on residents' registered addresses in the Civil Registry system. Citizens will be notified in writing upon registration. Voters will be required to update their information within 30 days of a change in residence. Notably, the six-month residency criterion will be eliminated, simplifying the process and relying on registered addresses in the controlled areas of the Republic and valid national ID cards.

The changes apply solely to Cypriot citizens and exclude European citizens registered in special electoral rolls for EU parliamentary and local elections.

Until 1996, voting in Cyprus was limited to citizens aged 21 and above. A constitutional amendment reduced the voting age to 18. The current proposed reduction to 17 years will require the Nineteenth Constitutional Amendment, which must secure the support of at least 37 members of the House of Representatives (two-thirds majority).

Automatic voter registration and the reduction of the voting age may influence the distribution of parliamentary seats across districts. For instance, under the current electoral roll, Nicosia might lose one seat, reducing its representation to 19, while Paphos could gain an additional seat, increasing its total to five.

The reforms aim to increase voter participation, but challenges remain. For example, only 45% of 18-year-olds eligible to vote in the June European elections registered on the electoral roll.