Green Party candidate makes pointed dig at 'arbitrary' voting age while celebrating 18th birthday

The Green Party's youngest candidate has taken aim at the voting age, as he celebrates his 18th birthday.

Luke Wijohn is going up against Labour's Jacinda Ardern in the Mt Albert electorate in this year's election , but first, he had to celebrate a birthday.

Today the young candidate turned 18 and shared a pointed message in celebration.

"Turned 18 today and was suddenly transformed into an informed, responsible, politically engaged, member of society," he wrote on Twitter.

"I'm a completely different [sic] person to yesterday and fully understand why we picked the arbitrary age of 18 as the point where our system decides your voice has worth."

In response to another person, he joked: "18 trips and you get to vote! Any less and you're [sic] perspective isn't valuable to us".

Mr Wijohn won't be alone in wanting to lower the voting age, as the Green Party announced it as one of their policies last year.

Co-leader James Shaw said 16-year-olds should be able to vote and pointed to the climate strikes held by school students across the world.

"With the climate change crisis upon us, millions of young people around the world are taking to the streets demanding to be heard by political leaders," he said.

Before he can hope to achieve his political aspirations, Mr Wijohn is also waiting to be allowed back in the Parliament buildings, after being banned for a year when he partook in an Ihumātao protest.