This topic is frequently argued over in the United States as there are positives and negatives to both sides. People have been trying to get this to come to realty for a while but it has failed every time. People that believe it should be lowered argue lowering it would create more partipation and voting habits, at 16 you start deciding your future and this is an important part of their future, and also that 16 year olds have the same ability to make good voting decisions as others as they have the same civics knowledge. People that dont want this to pass argue kids under 18 are not mature enough to vote, 18-29 year olds have low voting number turnouts and this will be the same, and also that almost all Americans believe they shouldnt be able to vote.
Many believe that it should be lowered for many reasons. Many reaserchers have found 16 year olds pick up most of their actions from the adults around them so as long as their parents are voting they will vote and keep voting as it becomes a habit. Scientists also found that something called cold cognition skills are in most 16 year olds, those are the skills needed to make well, thought out decisions. Lastly, if we lower the voting age it will strngthen the civics education in younger kids and help them get more involved and interested in civics.
Lots of people believe that lowering the voting age could hurt our country and dont want it to be lowered. They argue that 16 year olds dont have the motivation and ability to participate in the election effectively. They think because they are so young they wont vote based on their own thoughts but rather what their parentrs believe and what their parents want. Finally they arent fully grown and scientists have found in teenage years the brain is still undergoing major contruction and is still developing.
I believe that the voting age at 18 is a good age because that is when they are adults and almost all the decisions they make are for themselves. They are less likely to just vote alongside their parents around this age. 16 seems to young for me and that is just sophmores or juniors in high school mostly. Some of them dont have jobs or have to make many big decisions for themselves. I can see pros to lowering it but I dont see a point big enough to make it an obvious decision to lower it. I also think the election is fine right now and because its doing good and fine there is no reason to change it and risk messing it up.
Sources
Questions
Do you think Lowering the voting age would be good or bad?
Would you rather have the voting age lowered to 16 or raised to 21?
If the voting age was lowered to 16 and you could vote in the next election, would you?
Replies
I think you are right about the maturing part, I think that although some kids are mature enough to make their own decisions, a lot of kids that are 16 arent ready to vote when it comes to maturity as its a decision that could affect the future of the country.
I think if we were to lower the voting age it would be bad. Sixteen year olds don't know what they really want and i feel as if they could mess up our government. If i were to choose between lower or raising the voting age i would raise it. If I were able to vote Iwould.
I think that the lowering age could be a good and a bad thing. I do not think that the voting age should be lowered. I think that if it were to be lowered or raised I would choose lowering it to 16. I would vote in the next election if it were to be lowered.
I think you are right about it being a good or bad thing as I believe it could go either ways. I think I would rather have it be raised to 21 than have it lowered to 16 though, as we know there would not be maturity issues and I also think it would not affect the voting participation numbers much.
I think lowering the voting age would be bad because most 16-year-olds don't have their own beliefs and just go off what they have heard from either their parents or their peers. I think it should be raised to 21 before it gets lowered to 16.
I agree in the fact that their parents would very much influence the decision of who the kids vote for. I also agree that I would want it back up to 21 before it gores down to 16 as we have had that before and there was nothing wrong with it.
When or if we could start to lower the voting age just to the lower of the age of 16 becuase then some people they dont have to wait all the time intill they have to be 18 years old and people could vote more earlier then way later in the year.
I personally think lowering the voting age to 16 would do more harm than good. I'm not sure which I'd choose between the two. At 16, most kids are still very dependent of their parents and would most likely just vote for whoever their parents vote for regardless of how they truly feel.
I agree, I feel as if although some kids may have beliefs of their own most kids around the age of 16 would just go with whoever their parents vote for as most dont pay enough attention to politics to know the candidates political views.
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