Do you think the voting age should be reduced from 18 to 16 years old?

Question

Well, I just turned 16 and I'd love to vote! I'm even a menber of a political party!

You people are so bias.

Charli- I understand and respect what you're saying but from what I hear around school- People who have no interest simply wouldn't bother registering to vote, let alone actually voting!

Georger- You're clearly uneducated.
Firstly, It's spelt Rapper, not Raper, A raper is someone who rapes people, and just because we're young you think we like rappers and would spoil our vote? You bias pig...

Steven, You're just a chauvinistic... Well, I'm not going to say the next word.

The majority of you are so ignorant and bias it actually makes me laugh.

Answer 1

I think 18 is the perfect age for voting. It is the age when one becomes responsible and mature (supposedly). I would prefer to see that those that do vote at 18 however, are obliged to take an intelligence test so that Sinn Fein and their cronnies (IRA) are not running amock in the country thinking they're great because a group of 18 year old neo-nazis and filth voted for them.

Answer 2

I'm glad to see that you are interested enough in politics to want to vote. Unfortunately, we'll never see the day when 16 and 17 year olds will be given the right to vote. As it stands now, the 18-25 year old range of voters has the lowest turnout of any age group.

It is too bad more young people don't show a greater interest like yourself in politics but I believe you are the exception to the rule.....

Make sure you get registered when you're 18! It was the first thing I did when I turned 18!

Answer 3

Somewhere between 25 and 35 most people come to the realization that when they were a teenager they were morons. Usually about the time they get married, have kids and buy a home they realize that what they thought was important then wasn't really important. Its also during this time that most people realize that their parents were right about most things.

At 16 you are just to young to know what you don't know. With life experience comes wisdom. Never confuse the knowledge and passions you have with true wisdom. Nothing personal and you might be an exception but the vast majority of 16 year olds are incapable of making wise decisions and most adults would rather not be subject to laws decided by the whimsy of children.

Answer 4

I was very active in politics when I was in high school, and I certainly would have voted at 16 if I had had the chance. Many 16-year-olds are as well prepared for voting as their elders are, if not more prepared.

I worked hard to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. I pointed out that for most purposes, individuals are considered adults at 18. At that time, not only could young men be drafted into military service, but also people of 18 were able to enter legally binding contracts and they were considered adults in a court of crimminal law. Only in three areas--drinking alcohol, having sexual relations, and driving a car--were other ages defined.

Another argument in favor of the 18-year-old vote is education. Roughly half of 18 year-olds have finished their formal education.

Later on, when I was in college, I proposed that a student at the University of Illinois be nominated for the Board of Trustees. When I mentioned the idea to Chicago's Mayor Richard J. Daley (father of the current mayor), he expressed skepticism. Did I also think that high school students should be on the Chicago School Board?

I did not want to commit to another issue, and dilute the one I was pushing. My reaction was, "Yes, why not," but I said, "I don't know about that."

(In a later conversation, the lieutenant governaor of the state convinced me to accept a system wherein students would hold non-voting positions on the Board of Trustees for the University of Illinois and other state univeristies. I was disappointed, but I knew I did not have the power to fight.)

I'm undecided about your proposal to lower the voting age to 16, although it makes a lot of sense. In particular, we should look at the common practice of trying juveniles in adult court. If we are to do that (which I consider a fundamental violation of human rights), we probably should grant the vote to 16 or even 14-year-olds.

Answer 5

The only reason the age is 18 is that it's the benchmark age for the military draft. The idea that a soldier can die for his country but not vote for the president was not very popular. During the Vietnam era, the minumum voting age was lowered from the previous 21...

so if you're willing to be drafted at 16.....

remember also that in most states, registered voters are called into the courts system for Jury Duty... does that sound fun, too???

enjoy your youth.. you won't have it forever.

Answer 6

No, I do not. Before you use add'l details to hand in yet another immature tirade against those answering your question, let me point out those tirades alone point to you being too immature to vote responsibly.

It is good that you are interested in politics at such a young age, that is commendable. But you have a lot to learn, and that isn't an insult, it's a fact. Keep interested, keep learning everything you can, and hopefully you will grow into a responsible voter who can employ critical thinking and not emotions as your basis for making decisions about voting.

Answer 7

No, as a matter of fact, I think it should be raised to what it once was, 21. Young people under 18 tend to vote for different reasons than adults. It's more like a popularity contest, than a serious considearation about issues & experience. This has nothing to do with my being prejudiced. I know, I was 16 once.

Answer 8

I'm a BIG advocate for youth rights, but I'm not sure that I'd endorse the reduction of the voting age.

I think that many 16 year-old are MORE than intelligent enough to vote and make informed decisions. But I think that a 16 year-old's main job should be school, friends, and making a smooth transition to adulthood.

And, unfortunately, many 16 year-olds are not mature enough yet to make informed choices. (Hell, many 40 year-olds aren't mature enough yet, either. But they are adults, and their rights can't be violated no matter how immature and ignorant they are.)

Quill.

Answer 9

Problem is, that four out of five sixteen year olds would probably vote for Labour, possibly Liberal or Greens, having been newly indoctrinated by their left wing teachers. That's before the left leaning lecturers get to them. New Labour would love it, of course. So no, the thought worries me, I think that more experience of life is required away from academe.

Moreover, how many sixteen year olds pay taxes? There would also be an increased tendency to vote for personalities and not policies, and to vote for selfish reasons rather than what is good for the country long term. It should be raised to twenty one.

Answer 10

To be honest, the amount of 16 year olds who would be interested in voting, would be minimal (in my opinion).

However, there are always exceptions. If your a 16 year old who would like to vote, you should he heard out. A simple letter explaining your reason for wanting to vote, would be enough to convince me.

Some people would waste their vote and just vote for anybody, say if half the 16 year olds did this, then you wouldn't get a very accurate opinion. Also, this could increase pressure on 16 year olds attending high school. They may be pressurised into voting for the same group eg; concervatives. This will only put stress on them during a very important stage of their lives (GCSE's)