In the 2007 political novel 'Geroge's Flag - a novel of political intrigue' the legal voting age in the United States is lowered to fifteen in the year 2040. Selected for the 2007 Southern Festival of Books, 'George's Flag' is the fictional story of the election of the first female president of the United States. In the fictional 2007 novel, in the year 2020, a foreign power helps the Democratic Party win the White House, House and Senate by hacking into the servers of the DNC and RNC to track e-mails.
The voting age should be lowered to 16. I am a 16 year old myself, and I would like to get a right to vote since I am almost an adult. Yeah, most of us are very immature, but there are high school students that would like to make a change in this world. I want to make a change in this world we live in, I would like to be a leader someday. I am not a great student, but other than my grades I have a great mind for things. I question things I don't understand, and I get answers I need. I believe that with 16 year olds voting the world may be a bit better. It won't destroy it, it will empower it. Millions of students want to make a difference in this world, we can do it if we get the right to vote and have other adults hear our voices. As I read these comments I think we don't need a test to qualify to vote. You think an honor roll and high honor roll students will be the only 16 year old voters? Just because their grades are 3.5 and above? No. I believe all 16 year olds should vote. Not those who have better grades, because its shows that equity isn't there for everyone. I write a lot, about politics and movements and other topics. I even have a blog right now but nothing is up yet. I would like to vote so my voice can be heard, because I am almost an adult and will be facing more challenges.
I think that kids at 16 should definitely have the right to vote. We have opinions, not only swayed by our parents like many people think, but by watching news clips, or reading articles. people say that we're just "staring at our phones all day" or "always on the internet", but (even though that's not completely true) what do we find on said internet? articles. Sometimes they're clickbait or something about a teen escaping kidnapping, but sometimes they're about politics. I, for one, read lots of those and i think that kids should be able to use that knowledge to some use at 16.
We should allow 16 year olds to vote it is their country too.They have to follow the laws why not give them a say in what laws are made or changed.If a vote is put in to change schools in the U.S if will affect them and they should have a say in what happens its their school too.
I think that maybe 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote, ONLY after taking an official test. Those who don't know enough about their own country shouldn't be allowed to vote. Giving the option of taking a test will eliminate those people who don't care enough to vote (because who wants to take a test?) and it would also eliminate those hot-headed minors.
@Anonymous what about all of the naive adults in the country. There are many adults who know even less about our country than minors do. I do agree with the point of giving voters a test so they can eliminate those who are hot heads but I would say that adults should have to take the test as well. Adults are more than able to be uneducated, hot heads, and generally not care enough to vote.
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The voting age should be lowered and there is no question about it. Can you imagine how many teens feel hopeless because they can't help their world or at least have their voices heard. We the youth are mostly being affected by the problems in this world such as gun violence. That is the biggest problem in our society right now think about it our parents used to have dreams of monsters or vampires and we have dreams of getting shot at school. While we are being denied the right to advocate for ourselves there are hundreds of teens dying a year to violence, it is unfair and unjust to exclude teens because of their age. After all we are the next generation of our country and it is our duty to be informed about voting as it could help us in the future to vote responsibly.
The voting age should without a doubt be lowered to 16. High school students may be out of all people the most involved in politics. I am 16, and I try to stay very updated with the news, etc., and I feel that I might actually make better choices regarding to politics than an 80 year old who dropped out of high school and only watches fox news. And this I think applies to all areas of the political spectrum, millennials are known to be more liberal than older generations, snd gen z seems to be actually more conservative, so I think if people 16 and up were allowed to vote I think we would just have more educated voters who are more in touch with whats going on today, and they should be able to make those choices because it can greatly affect the society I will live in as a adult. Furthermore, the minimum age required to run for a public office, whether it be for house, senate or even the presidency, should be lowered to 21. As a legal adult, those aged 21 or older should be able to make change in the society they do not have a voice in until they are older.
It’s very condescending to say, dispite brain science suggesting otherwise, that teenagers aren’t mature, or educated enough to make a conscious decision. Believe it or not us teenagers have brains, we can think, talk, reason, just like any other human being. I am taxed roughly 20% of my income yet I like legitimate political representation, the same argument made by the Americans against the British. Lowering the voting age to 16 would be great, personally I think the voting age should line up with the working age, but progress is progress.
@Ethan B Miller
You have a point, yes, there are some responsible 16 year olds, but let's face it: most aren't. 96% only listen to what mommy and daddy say is right or wrong. They let social media influence their decisions. Most teenagers much to your dismay, aren't mature enough to make those kinds or decisions. I know teenagers can think, talk, and reason like any other human, but it doesnt mean they they should be able to vote. With voting comes large responsibilities, and most kids aren't ready for that commitment. They cant make rational decisions very well. This isnt my opinion, this is fact. I know it might not be what you want to hear, but the truth is truth. The voting age would be two years away anyway, it isnt a very long time.
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@Arai that in itself is a very condescending comment.
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I believe it should be raised if anything, to something like the alcohol legal age, 21. Because these teens under 18 or under 21 are too emotionally 'incorrect' lashing out on their beliefs and to undermine the facts that should determine their opinion. People are joining the bandwagon in which they feel safer with a larger group of people,which is in many cases the younger ages, where people are against things like Trump, anything related to firearm use or as a general, firearms, and the millenial age group is always for protecting their opinion so they aren't 'wrong' I feel that if we lower the age, presidents that people don't understand will NOT benefit anyone will be selected, and that the low-age voters will defend their selected candidate until they are elected or until their term is over.
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Lowering the voting age would not increase the voter turnout in the U.S. I would not vote if the voting age was lowered because like the article said teens do not know who they want to vote for and might not want to vote at all. In the U.S. there are already many people not voting even if they are being drafted or not because they either don't care or just don't have a decision. The voting age should stay around adults who do care and know who they want to vote for.
Being in high school and 17 years old, I believe that the current voting age should stay just as it is. Yes, 16 year-olds are susceptible to shootings, but so is everyone else. Does that mean 8 year-olds can vote because an elementary school can be targeted for a shooting? A 16 year-old often does not have the maturity level or the vested interest that 18 year-olds do in the law. Many 16 year-olds are still dependent on their parents and family and can lead to parents manipulating their teenagers votes through their own opinions and bias.
@Nick i agree wholeheartedly but keep in mind that there are many adults who still live at home and are dependent on their parents. Having that as an argument is not very effective
Should voting age be lowered to 16? I believe that voting ages should not be lowered to 16 because 16 year olds minds have not fully developed. 16 year olds are minnows in a sea of sharks. The only responsible choice they have to make is driving. They are to young that some of them have not had jobs so they do not know what it is like in the real world. I believe that the voting age should be increased to 21. When you turn 21 you usually will start thinking about life choices and stay focused on what is important. They have matured and lived long enough to hopefully have a job and know what it is like in the real world. There will always be influencers in the world like your parents or friends, but the older you get the easier it is to decide if the information they have given you is useful.
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I do not think that sixteen year olds should be aloud to vote. My first reason is that our brains develop fully at twenty five years old. That is when our brains are truly finished developing. As I had just said our brains develop at twenty five and even then we still can make bad decisions. It is true that there are some adolescents that can make good decisions ,but are there going to be more good decisions made or are there going to be more bad adolescent decisions. At that point in our lives we are starting to figure out who we are. We will still be influenced by our friends and social media to make the more popular vote so that they fit in to a group of people. If we are still influenced by that then how can we know that we are making the right decisions. How can we trust them to vote if they can not make the right decisions. I agree with the fact that some of those people might make good decisions but we cannot ignore all the people who cannot make the right decisions. There are many ways people can be badly influenced. All those people who could be badly influenced by their parents or friends. Sixteen year olds are still considered adolescents not adults. There will be plenty of time in our lives to vote and there is no rush to do it. Adolescents will still also be able to express their ideas even if they cannot vote, through social media and help try to influence people to make the right decision.
The voting age needs to be lowered. I am a high schooler and right now we are writing a paper about the voting age and what we think about it. When you are sixteen and seventeen and you break the law you can and most likely will be charged as an adult. You have adult responsibilities too. There are kids who have to care for their younger siblings because their parents are out of the picture. Most have to work, pay taxes, and some have to help pay bills. So all these responsibilities are poured onto us and yet we get told that we are unable to make decisions for our home. If we lower it nothing bad will happen, in fact it will just increase voter turnout. Which is something people have been trying to do for awhile. If this was offered to me I would defiantly take the opportunity.
@Kayleigh Chinn
I don't know, I feel like many 16 year olds would be too emotionally immature to handle such a task as voting. I would rather the voting stay the same, because I think once you are a legal adult, (18), thats when you should be able to be vote. The reasoning behind this is that once you're 18 you are legally responsible for yourself and you can move out of your parents house. I say, once you can rely on yourself and move out of the nest and face the world is when you should be able to vote. And most of the time, that age is 16.
If the voting age is lowered to 16 all the other things you have to be 18 for should be lowered as well. If we believe them responsible enough to vote the should also be allowed to purchase tobacco, firearms, get tattoos, and be considered legal adults. That being said the whoke notion is ludacris in my opinion. In the 7 years its been since i was 16 i have changed so much i'm essentially a different person. Should we really give such responsibilities to people who have barely begun the process of being molded into who they are going to be?
To start the conversation. I would like to quote the article "If you are making a decision when angry or exhausted, the most critical skill is self-regulation, which enables you to control your emotions, withstand pressure from others, resist temptation and check your impulses. Unlike cold cognitive abilities, self-regulation does not mature until about age 22." When looking at this from various angles, the quote could be used as an argument to raise the voting age and not lower it.
Teenagers have in many instances premeditated actions while operating in hot cognitive, lacking the ability to self-regulate. Then proceed to hold onto that idea and act. This argument is being used as a reason to raise the age in which you have access to 2nd amendment rights.
Society has also determined that a person is not responsible enough to drink until age 21. Whatever age is determined to be the age in which the person is now accountable for their actions (legal adult) should be the same age for voting, 2nd amendment and the courts.
This is very hard decision to make because there’s all different types of teenagers out there, some who are responsible and fully know certain rules and regulations… then there's some that don't. Seeing when the election went on between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton kids were all putting their opinions out there when they never really had a lot to back it up, or were picking thing because their friends wanted them to win, so many thing I could go back on. As it said in the article changing the law for teenagers of the age of 16 can vote then why don't they change the age for drinking and smoking? In my opinion those are all things we need to prove were able to handle, once you hit the age of 18 you are now a legal adult so you don't have to prove anything to anyone anymore but us still having kind of not being so mature it might not be the best idea because some people will stand up for something in this generation without even knowing the full outcome just like being pro-abortion.
I agree with the writer with changing the voting age from 18 to 16. I am a 16 year old sophomore and I know more than enough about politics to understand what I am doing and who I am voting for. I've been learning about politics from the end of my 7th grade year and I'm still learning more about it to this day, but my peers and I still know what we are doing voting wise. In the article it said that the voting age lowered from 21 to 18 because 18 tear olds got to go to the military. Well 16 year olds can drive depending on location (NH minimum driving age is 16) This article mentioned about the shooting in Parkland and I agree with kids are stupid sometimes, but you can't judge teenagers on one bad event that they caused. That's like if us teens and kids don't allow adults to use electronics because they hack or do offensive stuff on social media. Another think about the shooting, if that is a reason that 16 and 17 year olds shouldn't vote, Al Capone and Ted Bundy could vote. Al was a Mafia leader and Ted was a serial killer and they were over 30. I'm agreeing with the writer because yes teenagers do make mistakes and bad choices, but so don't adults. It's part of life and mistakes happen. That's why I think the voting age should be reduced from 18 to 16.
Being a sixteen year old myself, I can tell you that I have no interest in voting. Not because I don't care, but because I don't completely understand the process yet, why should a minor be able to vote, when they don't understand it?
Everyone makes mistakes, however minors have yet to develop a complete frontal lobe, meaning that they react more on instinct and emotion. In my opinion I think that the voter should have a chance to make their mistakes and gain experience before that person makes decisions that can effect countless others?
Just because you don’t understand the voting process doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t.
The voting age should not be lowered, if anything it should be raised. In the article it states that a person's cold cognition does not fully mature until you are around twenty years old. The cold cognition skills are the skills used to list pros and cons, and make reasonable logical decisions.
I don’t want adolescent teens voting. I think that their opinion can be swayed, so easily. They can have a parent that wants them to vote one way, so the vote will turn that way. Who says that the teen is going to actually do his/her own research? I know I would not, once I am done with homework I am done for the day.
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I think the voting age should be raised to 21.
Many 18-year-olds are not involved in politics and are not aware of the complex happenings in the political world. Some are distracted and caught up in their own lives and in school. Even though the article states “Studies of cold cognition have shown that the skills necessary to make informed decisions are firmly in place by 16,” but brains aren’t fully developed till the age of 25. This still leads to a gap between voting age and the age when the brain is fully developed. Teens are asked about a lot during this time of their life. Such as what they are going to do with the rest of their life. After all that, now we are going to ask them to help decide who to lead our government? Seems a bit much especially when they also have to provide for themselves. We need to help ease the pressure and this can be done so by raising the voting age.
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Sixteen year olds should be able to vote because they will be more active in their community, they will feel they have a voice in government, and it will encourage them as well as others to better their country and vote. Teenagers can make a difference if they are shown how to (lead them in the right direction) and that it is possible for them to do such. They are capable of more than America gives them credit for. However, many people believe that 16 year olds should not vote because they are just children. Dismissing the fact, that their beliefs would be that of ageism, children are learning new things every day through the media and in school about the things happening in the world around them. This was also mentioned in the article by laurence Steinberg regarding whether or not teenagers were mature enough because voting is a huge responsibility. I agree with the author and my response to that still stands. Teenagers have the ability understand politics and have the capability of forming their own beliefs at 16. In addition, the government should reflect the views of the general public (teenagers make up some of this general public). If adolescents cannot vote, then the government isn't truly reflecting the beliefs of their citizens. Lowering the voting age will indeed encourage teenagers to vote in the future. After all, teenagers are the future of America.
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Of course the voting age should not be lowered to 16. 16-year-olds are barely halfway through high school, and have not developed the maturity it takes when voting. Then I read the article, and I have changed my mind completely. The article states that our brains are mostly matured, in terms of decision making, by the time we are 16, and this was new information to me. The article has made me see that, at this time in history, us high schoolers, we are the ones who are being directly affected by the government's decisions, or lack thereof, in the case of gun violence. Therefore, we should have a say in what is happening. Our brains may not be fully developed in terms of maturity, but right now, I can say that something has to change, and we have to be the ones to do it.
While I think that kids do and should be able to spread their voices lowering the voting age to 16 is a laughably bad idea that will most certainly end in it being raised again. Most 16 year olds can be easily influenced something that could lead to a mistake in electing someone. This is the exact reasons why the founding fathers came up with the electoral college was to protect from an uniformed electorate which is exactly what we would have if we let 16 year olds vote.
Many 16 year olds are also very impulsive and could jump for the most glamorous candidate or such. Many kids I think would make better decisions than their adult counterparts, I mean their adult counterparts elected Trump (the bar isn't that high) That doesn't mean that even close to the majority are ready to vote and therefore I believe we should only let people over 18 vote or maybe 16 if enlisted in the army.
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I believe we should keep the age limit for voting the way it is. For some 16 year olds are influenced to do dumb decisions, while 18 year olds choose to do those dumb decisions. 18 year olds have more experience of relying on themselves for answers instead of what listening to what other people say. More than likely 16 year olds will do what a friend would put instead of putting what they want to put. They also want to be "popular" so they may do what the "cool" kids do. For voting it is another story because some people may vote to say that they voted while others take it serious. Though they are 16 and are maturing I believe that the age limit should stay at the age of 18 for their brains have matured for the most part.
I don't think voting age should be lowered.
Just like the article said, at the age of 16 many people are still "impulsive and hotheaded" as well as they are easy to influence.
The question of lowering voting age is raised because many protesters (most of them in fact) right now are teenagers, who have their own strong opinions on a particular issue, but still can't vote. All of that is great, but one particular thing is not everything you're supposed to have opinion on if you are allowed to vote. and at the age of 16 you don't even understand many things, which means you can't have an opinion on it.
When you're 18, you're more independent, you're more likely to have a job, and even if not, you understand more financial problems. Also, when you're 18 you're less likely to make a decision because someone told you to instead of having your own opinion.
Your vote should represent your smart (or not so much), rational, adult decision that represents your and only your opinion.
I believe the voting age should not be lowered. Being at 18 you are a legal adult and a man or woman of your own. At 16 you are still under the wing of your parents and not a true individual working on your own. At 18 the responsibilities you get are completely different to a minor 16 year old. Even at 16 your brain still hasn't fully developed in comparison. Even in some states your driving age is above 16, making you dependent still on your parents. The odds against minors so they are not truly ready to make decisions for our nation. Even if they were allowed to move the age down, they should have taken Civics and Economic classes to show the true knowledge of the government.
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In my opinion the voting age should not be lowered. It is good right where it stands at the age of 18. When you turn 18 you are considered an adult and with being an adult comes responsibilities such as voting. Yes it is and is not true that a 16 year old an make good and bad choices but someone that is 18 years old has much more experience when dealing with and making educated decisions. I also find it very strange that you would let someone vote that could very well not even drive them selves to vote and have to have there parent take them. Now this alone just seems a little weird. You can vote for who runs this country because you say you are an adult but have to get your parents to take you.
I strongly disagree with Steinberg's stance that the voting age should be lowered. Although teenagers are the ones at risk of issues such as a school shooting, there are overwhelming reasons why 16 year olds cannot vote.
Unless students take a class in politics (which a lot of times have biased teachers), some high school kids never actually learn about the US government. Being a high schooler I could tell you most of my peers are nowhere near informed enough to vote. I don't think students have enough life experience at 16 to vote. 90% of kids will solely base their vote off what their parents say is right. Someone who is 18 is more likely to be informed, and have experienced some sort of consequence from a politician in office.
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Patrick, in many ways, your points are valid for some students. Not all 16 year olds are interested in politics, or are aware enough of the world around them to be considered properly able to vote. But, the idea that you have to have taken a class on government to learn about the inner workings of our society holds no basis. Many people learn about issues and government from society themselves, and from observing the processes of government. Moreover, even if they did need a class to teach them about government, would the same things not be true for some 18 year old? And, for that matter, 21 year olds, the old age limit for voting?
I'm not arguing that every 16 year old could or should vote. Many are not properly prepared to vote, and lack the necessary knowledge. But that is true for all age groups. 16 year olds will simply suffer from the same problems. Lastly, during the last election, about 50% of the eligible voters in our country voted. That means many people who were uninformed about politics simply did not vote. I would predict that the same phenomenon would occur with 16 year olds. Thus, by giving them the right to vote, you are essentially just increasing the number of citizens who can vote, without suffering any higher a percentage of voters who are unaware of the current political situation.
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I believe that voting age should be lowered from 18 to 16. At the age of 16, kids are aware enough of politics to make a decision for themselves. By that age, kids already have cold cognition firmly in place of their brains. Cold cognition is the ability to make decisions when in an environment with no pressure. If 16 year olds have the skill of cold cognition firmly placed in their brains, they should be able to make wise decisions by themselves. Also, teens and adults have different ideas of politics. It would only be fair to equally represent both sides of a topic, in this case, teens and adults. I will admit that some teenagers are only hotheaded and don’t know a thing about politics. But if you see the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, you can see that some teens are very actively involved in politics and know what they are talking about. It would be unfair to only give voting privileges to people older than 18 by assuming that kids at the age of 16 don’t know anything about politics and will make wrong decisions.
Okay i'm only 14 years old but i believe that 16 year old's should not be aloud to vote yet because there immature and easily made to follow something and they are not an adult yet most still live with a parent or guardian.
I believe that 16 year olds should be allowed to vote. I mean, they might be immature and hot headed, but if adults voted for Trump, then I don't think it will make much of a difference if they make bad decisions when voting.
so your saying that if adults make bad decisions, its OK for the younger generations to make bad decisions too. We would never improve as a country with that kind of mindset!!!
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I believe that we should lower the voting age to 16 because even though tennegers decisions are questionable sometimes, the article does say that the teenage brains are developed enough to make rational decisions like voting for president. It said that the ages of 18 to 23 is the group that has the smallest voting turnout. I am in high school and I hear conversations about politics almost everyday and I believe that kids 16 and up should have a say in their government. I think that if you are going to allow kids to vote at 16 you should make them take a certain written test or exam that clearly shows they know what they are talking about.
When I first saw read this article, I thought the reasons that were listed, weren't sufficient enough for lawmakers to consider changing the voting age to 18 from 16. Many teens are 16 years old, whom of which aren't mature enough to make crucial political decisions, and can put many other people in danger. Even though many 16-year-olds might have positive intentions, there are many factors - such as social media influence - that could make problems even worse.
I don't think that people at the age of 16-19 because let's be real most "teenagers" that age are not even mature. Most "teenagers" are so immature. They may have IDs but that doesn't make them a man/women. It's the way they act and MOST don't act like men/woman's. I'm a boy and i'm not trying to throw shade but most the MEN are the immature ones.
In my opinion I don't think the voting should be lowered to 16 because most of these "teenagers" are very immature. Like I know they got IDs and stuff and I know they are officially citizens well some of them. So most of these Mens/Womans are not mature. Well im not trying to throw shade im a boy but, Most of these MEN are the immature ones.
in my opinion I think that students in underclass should not vote. For several reasons, I think that they do not know as much as adults. so they will just be picking for the fun of it. But I also think that people should go around 16 and younger kids and asked them questions just to see what they know and where their own minds on. Plus, kids don't watch the news they do not know what they are talking about.
I’m 15, I watch the news.
How about first go around and ask 16 and 17-year olds a few questions. Then decide if they are mature enough to vote. See if they know how many senators there are or how many are in the House of Representatives. Ask them how many votes it takes to pass a bill into law and who is the one who casts the tie breaking vote? What’s the press secretary’s name? Who’s the HUD secretary? What’s a filibuster? Ask them if they know what percentage of their paycheck will go to the government once they get a job? Ask them if they are ok with part of their hard-earned money being used to fund a $5 million study on whether or not frat boys like to party? (it happened – 2017 at Brown University)
As a 16-year-old myself, it seems from my point of view, teens are for what everyone else is for. It just seems like teens protest because it’s trending not because they are educated on the issue. For example, many of the kids who participated in the gun control protest did it just so they could get out of class. I say leave the voting up to the adults, it’s just two years away.
I truly believe that there are some educated high school students that deserve to have, their opinion heard by being able to vote. But, on the other hand, I know that there are many high school students that may not be educated enough to have the right to vote. The only way that i think the voting age will be lowered ever again is if these educated teens keep pushing their opinions on important things happening in the world, such as school shootings in the U.S. Knowing the way the U.S works and knowing their previous reason on why they changed the voting age, I would not expect the voting age to change anytime soon, but I am for it!
NO! At 21 people are too young, they don't watch the news, they don't know how the government works, and they are too emotional to make a decision that probably won't affect them. Now there are plenty of exceptions, I'd like to think I'm one although the government already thinks I'm too young and immature; I can't my car after 9, I can't drink, I can't do a lot of things -- but I'll be allowed to vote. Now tell me how that makes sense. On top of all that most of us up to the age 16 haven't had the opportunity to develop our own ideology about how the world should be. We are just reflections of our parents. Suppose we aren't just like our parents, then we'll be like our friends; whoever wants 16 year old kids and up to vote obviously hasn't been inside of a high school. There is so immaturity, people wearing "make america great again" hats, just to piss off some liberal, people in general are too shallow, but highschoolers are even worse. People trying debate their political beliefs while saying, "I think", "I believe", or "In my opinion", No one cares about how you feel we need numbers, facts, and evidence to support a argument. Now in my opinion, as a high school student; No High School age kid should be able to vote. If we could vote, we would have voted for Bernie, like free college right?
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This cannot be anymore true, I turn on whatever device I have and I see news articles and news broadcasts that don't even tell the whole story, I see people online trying to get that "15 seconds of fame" by stirring the beehive, I see people my age, younger and older, making things a bigger deal than it needs to be by shouting. If someone wants to make an argument then they should dish out and receive. If a 16 year old cannot do that then why should we let them vote? **sidenote*** Puberty is not a valid excuse.
Thank you for your reply, I am glad to see someone else sees eye to eye with me. However I have to applaud NYTimes for this these student opinion articles that allow people that read the article to have conversation in the comments. However I would love for you to elaborate more on your side note of puberty not being an excuse, I don't think I understand what you mean.
I turned 17 the day this article was published, I am a proud Mexican-American, I continue to succeed in school, and outside of school. I am very well educated in the world I am growing up in and I take the time to share my knowledge to those around me. With that said, I believe the voting age should be lowered to 16. The idea never occurred to me until Donald Trump was elected. I was furious to know that people who were not even going to live to see his first and/or second term got to decide what my future would be. I was furious to know the ignorant yet "mature" adults got to decide who would represent my country in my last two years of high school and first two years of college. I have proved countless times that I am much more qualified to vote than those older than me. Voting is not only a right in our country but a privilege as well. My ancestors had to fight for my right as a female to vote and I am not taking that for granted, it is sad to see other females are. Too many citizens either do not vote at all or only vote when it is time for the presidential elections, and that is not representing your country. You want a better nation? Your true power is to vote. You prefer not to? So be it, then allow us to vote and make a difference because we truly want change for ourselves, our peers, and all the generations to come. Hey, who knows, maybe if more students in high school begin to vote, the adults will too because they are afraid of our "impulsive" decision-making.
I am 17 quite soon and I definitely do NOT support the idea of minors having the right to vote. I say this because there is no way that I would trust my peers to legitimately have the SENSE or KNOWLEDGE to know whether or not to/which candidates to vote for. In addition, as many adults, they would have the completely wrong motives in doing so.
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I do believe that the legal voting age should be lowered to sixteen, although I was on the fence about this at first but the writer of this article has made me certain in my choice. As a teen I believe we should have a voice when it comes to our safety. Some might think that teenagers may be highly illogical thinkers but I disagree and the information in this article shows with the facts that in places where a 16-17 year old is allowed to vote they are more active in voting than the eighteen year old people who can already vote. Furthermore, if we changed the voting age to sixteen students would not only have their voices heard but would be able to learn more about being an adult and to get ready for the supposed real world.
I do not think that the voting age should be lowered to 16 because we teens make terrible decisions that change us but the decision shouldn't effect the U.S. as a whole.
No. You make terrible decision, not we, there is no we.
In the United States the voting age is 18. Before the age of 18, Americans are rarely given the chance to have their voice be heard and have an impact. Statically speaking “The voting age group of 18 to 24 have the lowest voter turnout out of any age group in the United States.” (Steinberg) This statement may be true but I believe that this is because in the United States teenagers do not receive a large platform for their voices to be heard, giving them a sort of false mindset that their opinions are less important than the ones of older adults. If a larger voice was given to American citizens at a younger age, this may affect their perspective of how the government views their opinion and may encourage to take advantage of the many privileges given to American citizens.
People may argue however that at the age of 16, the mindset and thought processes needed to make a decision like voting for an elected official, may not be present in the teenager. Yes and no, statically speaking “ psychologists call the mindsets of teenagers to bridge between a cold and hot cognition”. (Steinberg) In times of this “cold” cognition teenagers are able to make “thought-out” and well developed opinions proving that teenagers are capable of well thought out decisions when needed.
In my opinion the voting age in the United States should be lowered to 16 so the many prideful and thoughtful opinions and voices of American teenagers may be loudly heard and well received.
I believe that the average sixteen year old lacks some of the most crucial traits that would make them a sensible voter: maturity, responsibility, and awareness of the outside world. Speaking for myself, kids my age are not always the most mature people. For instance, we cannot legally buy a pack of cigarettes at this age because we do not have the mental capacity to realize that smoking everyday can cause us issues down the road. This is just one reason out of several showing why kids age 16 shouldn't be able to vote on the next president or on laws that could drastically alter society because we cannot even comprehend the dangers of smoking by ourselves. Kids my age also lack responsibility, a necessity when visiting the polls. There is a reason that college comes when most kids are around the age of 18, it is because that is the time that most kids finally gain responsibility for themselves and learn how to hold themselves accountable. Why should a kid be able to vote if they aren't responsible enough. One of the most important characteristics a voter must posses however is an awareness and understanding of the world around them and of the issues most relevant. Voters need perspective and real life experience to be able to understand why voting one way versus the other is more beneficial to yourself and your society. In my opinion, let kids be kids, sixteen year old's don't need to vote especially with the lack of maturity, responsibility and awareness they have.
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You seem to forget that we are not as engaged with some adult activities and privileges because it would be illegal. You think young people don’t know smoking is bad, everyone knows it’s common sence that a monkey would understand. Also lack of awareness.. what does that mean? Are minors unconscious, are they blind, deaf, or are they drooling vegetables totally unaware of their surroundings. The answer, none of these.. minors are just normal people leading a regular life with all the same abilities... shocker isn’t it?
I feel the voting age should be lowered to 16. Voting is an example of a cold cognitive ability which studies show is firmly in place by the age of 16. Most people my age may appear as immature but when it comes down to it, I think most of us can be mature and make smart decisions when we need. With that being said, I also feel at this age we are old enough to understand what we want or need for our future. Most laws that are passed affect our future or affect us instantly. If people my age could vote, we would have a say in what our future holds. The young people of Florida are a perfect example of this. They have gone through what some of our country’s worst nightmares, and they want to make sure nobody else has to go through them. If they could vote, then I am sure they would vote wisely and in their best interest to make a positive change for society. There have been multiple school walkouts as a “protest” to try and make change, but realistically, why would highly educated government officials listen to some high school students? We need more than just our voices to make a change.
I do not agree with Steinberg's stance that the voting age should be lowered to 16 years old. Although teenagers are the ones at risk of experiencing a school shooting, it does not qualify lowering the federal voting age. As a 17-year-old girl, I have seen first hand how uninformed people my age are, not only about current events but about how the United States political system works. Unless students take a class in politics, some high school kids never thoroughly learn about the US government. Until it is ensured that 16-year-olds are educated in what they would be participating in, it is not logical for kids to detract from an otherwise informed vote. I don't think students have enough life experience at 16 to vote. 16-year-olds have not completed a high school education and they are not legal adults. Many don’t even do their own laundry, much less know what it’s like to be independent or have a job. It is possible that kids still under the jurisdiction of their parents could have their votes swayed by parental influence. Sixteen-year-olds should not be capable of voting on topics that affect the whole country when they don’t pay taxes or experience the effects of a change that comes from voting. In regards to recent school shootings, the voice of the teens should not be underestimated, but for the overall safety of the country, we should not be allowed to vote until age 18.
The US government should not lower the voting age from 18 to 16. Most of the stereotypes about 16-year-olds are true about them being “notoriously impulsive and hotheaded.” 16-year-olds are too young to make informed decisions about the country. This article understands that teenagers are impulsive with their “hot” cognitive abilities, not mature until at least 22. It also states that teenagers have “cold” cognitive abilities allowing them to deliberate and logically make decisions. But teenagers impulsiveness can still take over their cognitive abilities.
As a 16-year-old, I can attest to the fact that teenagers can be ignorant and at the age of 16 they are not yet adults. Of the countries that allow for people to vote at 16, none of them are as advanced or powerful as the US. The US can't be put into the hands of teenagers until the age of 18 when their brains become more developed. In 1971, when the voting age was moved “from 21 to 18,” it was the right decision because at that time the teenagers can become the adults.
Although all 16-year-olds are not all impulsive we cannot rely on them to make an informed decision about the state of the nation and its safety. It is hard to “draw the lines between minors and adults,” but this decision can affect the entire the country and not just a single person. As much as I want to believe that 16-year-olds should vote, it is not in the best interests of the country and until greater evidence, the voting age should remain the same.
I say yes, becuase it is true that some teenagers aren't in the right mind to vote or not mature enough but this is what affects them. They are the majority of the people that are put in a school shooting, yes there are staff and older people who are part of it to but 16 year olds will out number them. Why should we have to learn about things in school that make you feel unsafe yet we don't have any say in what happens. You walk into school everyday knowing you could die or be put in that position yet don't have any power to change it.
I understand where you are coming from but imagine if you were not in any situation like that, though you didn't get a say in who could be "in charge", you will have a place where no harm is to come to anyone. I see why you think we should lower the age but think of all the things that could happen if they do have the right to vote, would they even vote?
I am 16 and if I could vote today I would. I feel social media has allowed me to know what is going on in the political world. Kids now more than ever are growing up faster and maturing at a faster rate. Lowering the age to vote I feel would be great. As the article says kids are the ones being shot at in school they should be able to vote on how to prevent school shootings. While teens are known for doing crazy and not so smart things. I believe we aren't doing anything worse than the adults. What I'm saying by this is that everyone has their mistakes no matter what age you are. So the argument that we are not mature enough I feel is invalid in most cases.
The science has proved that our brains are capable to think wisely, The next step is to get the stubborn lawmakers to change their minds.
while we know kids can make decisions to be confident that they can make educated ones. Maybe we should lower the age to sixteen only if they have taken a class to understand politics. If we do not require kids to learn about politics and have their own political views. Kids will just vote the same thing that their parents are.
I think that students at the age of 16 should be able to vote because they are the victims in school and they should have the right to vote and say what they feel because they dont want anything happening to their friends and themselves
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Although the author's article is persuasive and brings up a good argument, I do not believe that the voting age should be lowered to 16. High school students are no doubt the most vulnerable to the detrimental effects of school shootings, but it is not a problem limited to 16-year-olds — it is a nationwide problem. Voting is an extremely important privilege that should be given when a citizen has completely developed and has the time to make a decision based upon facts and reason — not what their peers think or a rash decision in the heat of a protest. The brain science discussed in the argument does not support the author's argument because it proves that younger teenagers don't have fully developed cognitive abilities. The article states that "self-regulation does not mature" until at least the age of 22. If 16-year-olds were given the right to vote, I believe that their decision would be based off of other peoples influences. Another reason not to lower the voting age for this purpose is because these teenagers would be able to vote on so many other subjects — not just school shootings. Adolescents would be voting for president, state government officials, and other highly important roles in this country. If I were given the opportunity, I would only vote on something that I felt really strongly about. I would not pass up the opportunity for my voice to be heard, but I also do not feel that I am under-represented in current issues.
I am 16 years old and if I were told I could vote today, I would not be able to. My knowledge on current politics and government is slim to nothing. I am sure that there are many other 16 and 17 year olds who are just as uninformed as I am. If we were to vote, it would be pointless because the point of voting is to put some input based on YOUR OWN beliefs and wishes for the place you live.
Besides this, I would love to vote on the little topics I feel I know enough to actually vote on. More votes won't hurt anything. I think that alot of people my age are eager to have more of a vote. The most we can do now is attend events and signing petitions, that is the only (sometimes) effective way we can be heard.
I am not saying I think that ALL 16 and 17 year olders should be able to vote. If one is interested in voting, there should be a short course and some kind of test that is required to take in order to vote if you are below 18.
No, the voting age should not be lowered to 16 years old. I myself am a high school student, and I don't believe that some of us are capable. I have seen too many acts of immaturity. Voting decides the outcomes of local and national elections. Many teenagers I know are very quick to jump to one political side, without knowing the facts. When Mr. Steinberg writes "Skeptics will no doubt raise questions about the competence of 16-year-olds to make informed choices in the voting booth. Aren’t young people notoriously impulsive and hotheaded, their brains not fully developed enough to make good judgments?", I agree with him. Our brains are not fully developed yet and we are influenced by peer pressure very easily. I believe that the voting age should remain at 18, by then, people are able to make factual and independent decisions.
I would Have to agree Alec. Many of the kids in my school dont act on their own thinking rather than those of their friends and peers. They don't understand what the problem really is but they feel obligated to join a side so they feel accomplished and included in a problem or current event such as the Florida shooting. They feel like its the right decision to join someone else's opinion even though they don't know the facts or how this could affect the United States in other ways.
the reason i text this is because i'm 16 and we should not be allowed to vote. due to the fact that we people that are 16 are too young to even understand the politic's of our country or that might just be me
I whole-heatedly agree.
I do not think that 16 year old's should not be able to vote at that age. I say that because my sister is 16 and she is not mature and does not make good choices
the voting age should be lowered to 16 because even though we are still developing, we have absorbed things that adults have not yet absorbed yet. we have seen things that adults have voted for that doesn't make our lives better. adults got to vote to remove items that offend them and that have been successfully been removed, why cant we do the same. if you remember the Parkland shooting, the students tried to vote to remove guns and fire arms but most of them cant vote because of the age restriction. the WHOLE school should vote despite their age. ever herd of the term "rights for all"? does the age limit scream "rights for all"? think about it america. at least make the legal age to buy fire arms 21. so something like this dosent happen again
The voting age should not be lowered to 16 due to the lack of responsibility and awareness of our own government in America. Most 16-year-olds are too focused on their own individual obstacles, including academia, athletics, or after school activities. In addition to their own struggles, these young teenagers should not be obligated to worry about politics and the government at this time of their life--they are only in high school. 18 is a very comfortable age to begin voting; most 18-year-olds by this time are living on their own and consider engaging more in the government due to the increased responsibilities to sustain their living conditions and expenses as a legal adult. Steinberg writes that the “motivating force was outrage over the fact that 18-year-olds could be sent to fight in Vietnam but could not vote,” but today, in the 21st century, what motivating force is present to allow 16-year-olds to vote? Although the issue of gun control is very relevant, the legal age required to purchase a weapon is still 18, and as social change is more pertinent, that law will not change--if anything, the required age will increase. Despite some 16-year-old’s passion for a voice in the government, there are still several teenagers who are unaware of politics and current events happening in our country--nevermind voting for our country’s president. The legal voting age of 18 should not be altered to keep traditional values for the government of the United States.
I do not think that the voting age should be lower to 16. I know many 16 and 17 year olds, and I believe that most of them are capable of voting and making an important decision. However, I know a lot of 16 year old who are definitely not capable of voting. So, no would be my answer because the age it is right now seems to be working out fine.
I don't think that the voting age should be lowered because when people are 18, they are entering adult-hood, becoming more mature. They are learning more about the world and they are coming into the"real world" therefore becoming more open and educated about current events and they are able to take responsibility for their actions. They are getting their own jobs, cars, money, and just started to attend college. They are smarter about their decisions and can actually back up what they did on their own. If 16 and lower ages started voting they could make crazy decision and if they made a mistake they wouldn't be able to back themselves up on their own, without parental help or assistance. I therefore think that the voting age should stay the same.
I'm 15 years old and I know several people that are 16/17 and are far more educated than some people over 18. If the question is if we are capable i believe we are, we are not stupid and especially with social media lots of us are involved with politics sharing our opinions but it hardly means anything when we cant evem vote. We are giving political speeches at our walkouts, emailing congress, writing letters and marching for justice, we are more than capable to vote
I have a strong opinion on changing the voting laws, I believe that some 16 year old's are mature enough for it but, some might not be ready for it. If the 16 year old is not very mature and follows after other people's opinions they might really regret their choice on the vote. On the other hand I am totally in for lowering the age to vote, if the person really votes for what they want not what their parents or friends want. Lowering the age to vote can be really beneficial it can show young people’s opinions that are going through the school shootings and lives are or can be in danger. Parents might not understand why there needs to be a change because they aren't having to worry about a person come to shoot at them at there work but, a person can easily come to a school and shoot us. If they won’t vote to make a change then we got to vote, Oh wait never mind we can’t vote until 18. That is my opinion on that age to vote should be lowered or not, if you can see I am on both sides of the story.
Teenagers today are much more exposed to politics thanks to the internet. They can follow it and form opinions on it easily because it’s at their fingertips. If they’re passionate about the issue being voted upon then they should be able to take part in the decision making. Teenagers aren’t oblivious to what’s going on in their country anymore and want to take some kind of action. Lowering the voting age would give the younger people of America opportunities to be apart of the community political-wise.
I disagree. I believe that 16 year olds should not be given the right to vote. Although, like you said, teenagers are more exposed to politics than they were in the past due to the internet, they are still easily influenced when making a decision. A 16 year old may believe in a cause and then flip-flip on it because their friends don't agree. Parents also play a big part in a child's political views. At 16, teens are still living under the same roof as their parents. The information they are receiving about politics is typically swayed by their parents personal beliefs. At 18, a lot of teenagers have moved out and can freely form political opinions without their parents playing a role. So although teenagers have easy access to news and political information, they still cannot form an individual opinion due to their susceptibility to pressure from their parents and peers.
I am a strong believer that students should be able to go to school without fear for their lives and that we should have a say in how the proper safety precautions are set in place; however, being a 14 year old student myself, I see mass amounts of immaturity among my peers on a daily basis. Although I would agree that some students could definitely handle such a responsibility as voting at the age of sixteen, I also see the flip side of the coin. Teens like the Florida shooting survivors that are saying “no more” are the kind of people that give teenagers a good name, but there are also people that give teenagers a bad name that need to be taken into consideration as well. Sadly, I would have to say, from what I have personally seen, that the majority of the teenage population in America would not be mature enough to handle being able to vote at 16. If the legal age for voting is lowered to 16, that would open up the door for just any 16 year old prankster who doesn’t even bother taking it seriously. Granted, the same could happen with an 18 year old, however, I think that those additional two years are huge when it comes to developmental changes and maturity levels. I’m not saying that all 16 year olds should not have the opportunity to vote, but if they do end up having that privilege, I think that parents need to be required to legally approve of their child’s ability to vote.
I am a 16 year old who feels strongly about politics, but I don't think the voting age should be lowered. At 16, teens are highly impressionable and easily succumb to peer pressure. Someone might vote for a candidate just because their friends or parents like them. Even though the article says that teens have the cognitive ability to make informed decisions, I still believe that the majority of 16 year old's would not make individual decisions. I consider myself a democrat, and I feel strongly about my views, but would I still feel the same way if my parents weren’t democrats as well? I can’t help wondering what I would be like if I was raised in a conservative household. Would I have the same views?
I was on vacation in England when Brexit was voted on. The day after, teenagers took to the streets, demanding the voting age be lowered to 16 and looking for the support of people at the legal voting age. I remember some people being completely appalled, how could any 16 year old be mature enough to vote on anything that happens in their country? There were also people who cheered and rallied behind these teens who had a desire to be involved.
My first reaction the the possibility of 16 year olds voting was most similar to that of first bracket of people I saw, the ones who thought that 16 was simply too young. This issue stuck with me, though, and like most issues, the more I thought about it, the more I could see the other side.
It would be great if I could vote about what I care about and believe in. I think it would be great because I can see the impact one vote has and the importance and seriousness behind every single vote, because it is representative of who you are as a person and what you believe in. Unfortunately, I see so many serious topics and issues turned into jokes at school that I truly believe that the right to vote would be taken advantage of, used in dares, and changed due to peer pressure. Voting is a privilege and responsibility that 16 year olds are not ready for. Our frontal lobes are still developing as are our beliefs, even if cold cognition is there, so let us finish growing up before we are faced with such great responsibly and resulting power.
Yes it should be allowed
We can keep this from happening.
Yes it should be allowed
Absolutely not! The majority of people react with emotion and they don't think about their decisions and this is much more common in kids ages 15-18. We (i am 17) should definitely not be allowed to vote.
I am a 16 year old who feels strongly about politics, but I don't think the voting age should be lowered. At 16, teens are highly impressionable and easily succumb to peer pressure. Someone might vote for a candidate just because their friends or parents like them. Even though the article says that teens have the cognitive ability to make informed decisions, I still believe that the majority of 16 year olds would not make individual decisions. I consider myself a democrat, and I feel strongly about my views, but would I still feel the same way if my parents weren’t democrats as well? I can’t help wondering what I would be like if I was raised in a conservative household. Would I have the same views?
Personally, considering recent news, lowering the voting age to 16 could be a good thing for the country. Knowing that teens would have a say in politics could change the way the country works. Although many teens aren't as involved in politics as adults, they still deserve to have a say in who shapes their future for 4 years. With the recent Parkland shooting in mind, teens are taking a stand against the NRA and fighting for that they believe in even though they're in high school and can vary in age. The brain science discussed in the article supports the argument although I don't think it's a relatively strong point to introduce in this argument because I have seen teens at the age of 14 make smarter decisions than adults in their mid-20s. By lowering the voting age you can give teens the chance to control their future leader and who can better their lives one way or another. Teens are not afraid to speak out about topics they feel strongly about so why shouldn't teens have a chance to participate in an activity, which in this case is voting, that could greatly affect their futures?
The voting age should not be lowered to 16 years of age. High school students do not have the maturity to make educated decisions about what they are voting for or who they are voting for. In today’s world of social media and 24 hour news networks, their votes would likely be influenced by their friends, and more importantly, by their parents. This argument has received more attention following the tragic shootings in Florida, where high school student are making a demand for better gun control. But, lowering the voting age will not necessarily make things better or help get laws passed quicker. Even though kids under 18 don’t have a vote, we do have a voice which can still be heard loud and clear. Kids like this must keep pushing to ensure the issues and concerns are raised to the lawmakers and those who do vote. As stated in the article, “They offer an inspiring example of thoughtful, eloquent protest.” This simply means that, together, we can make a difference! In two more years we will be able to vote and make a change in this country.
As a sixteen year old student I respect the author’s frank opinion about the decision to lower the voting age from 18 to 16. I do believe there are many students who have bright and innovative ideas that could help our country, however, I still believe that 16 is too young to be given the responsibility to vote. Despite the fact that we teenagers act like we know everything, we really don’t know much about our world. Other than the experiences we have been a part of in school, most high school students have barely had the opportunity to experience the world for ourselves.
Laurence Steinberg makes very strong points about cognitive thinking and logical reasoning that are hard to ignore, but voting is a huge privilege and responsibility that students may not be able to handle. I haven’t even received my license yet, so the thought of voting on decisions that would impact the whole country is overwhelming.
I had no idea that some states, such as Maryland, permit “16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections”, which is a compromising idea that still allows young students to make a difference while teaching them that their voice matters, but still limits them from national elections. States should allow students to participate in local elections to prepare them for when the time comes when they can vote on a national level.
(part 2)
If the voting age was lowered to include 16 and 17 year olds, I definitely wouldn't be opposed to it. I don't think we would regret it. But I also unfortunately have to say that it doesn't really matter, because so many people in older generations already have their preconceived opinions of us, and sometimes a representative democracy isn't enough. Legislators already view us as "indolent narcissists," and they have already tried to stifle our voices. The majority of young adults voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, pushing the popular vote in her favor, yet Trump was still voted into office. Survivors of the Parkland shooting who tirelessly and peacefully protested were mocked and sneered upon by grown adults. Floridians across the state clamored for gun control in the wake of a tragedy, and legislators turned their backs on them. Before we can even think about lowering the voting age, those who are privileged enough to be able to have a say about what goes on in our country need to realise that my generation is tired of being underestimated and ridiculed for being born in an age of technology. We are the future, and we deserve to have the right to own it.
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In my opinion the voting age should still remain at 18 years of age particularly because when you are 16 you don't have to worry about paying taxes or have to deal with the government but when you turn 18 it's a whole different story. Your brain is still developing in the mid-20s and so you aren't even "mature" enough to be voting at 16. After reading Steinberg's article my thought still remains the same and there are other ways that people can give their opinion about how the shootings can be prevented like write letters to their local leaders/Senators. I don't agree that the cold cognitive abilities support the argument for lowering the legal voting age in the U.S because that is just a "theory" and researchers agree that your ability to control self-regulation doesn't mature until your 20s. 3 main reasons that I think the voting age shouldn't be lowered is that 16 year old's don't know enough about politics, they are more easily influenced by parents and guardians, and most 16 year old's don't even have an interest in political issues and current affairs. If the voting age were lowered I wouldn't vote because honestly I don't like having that kind of pressure on me and besides I feel like that would create arguments with my friends and I don't want to risk friendship.
In the article, “Should the voting age be lowered to 16” by Caroline Gilpin, she talks about if the voting age should be lowered to the age of 16. Many people have different opinions on whether it is a good idea or not. Personally, I don’t think it is a good idea. I think that the of 18 is a better age for people to vote because that is the year that they become a young adult, and the age that they become more responsible and more focused.
One of the reasons I think that this is a bad idea is that most children don’t like to watch or read the news. In personal experience, I think that the news is boring. Talking about people killed or extreme weather or about the election. I rather do homework or read a book. If kids from the age 16 gets to vote, they might vote someone randomly because they didn’t even want to watch the news. This could lead to the president with not as good ideas get elected as president. The president that the people chose should be someone that has great ideas that would benefit the world.
(pt 1)
As someone who has been exploring my political identity since I was ten, if given the opportunity to vote at 16, I would be motivated to use my citizenship and my voice to possibly make a change. Teenagers are given such an embarrassing reputation, and it really misses the mark sometimes. We're seen as reckless, self-absorbed delinquents with no rationale or sense of maturity. This astounds me when every day I am surrounded by thoughtful and intelligent people who are strong in their beliefs and not afraid to say it. I was so proud seeing the Parkland students contradict this "tiresome stereotype," as said by Steinberg in the article.
The neuroscience research suggests that by 16, cold cognitive reasoning allows you to make levelheaded, logical, and informed decisions. I certainly can, and almost all of my peers can do the same. I'm not even negating the fact that teenagers CAN be impulsive and irrational, because we can, but so are so many adults; so many people able to vote in the 2016 election wrote in a joke as a third party, or didn't vote at all.
No, I do not believe that 16 year olds should be able to vote. At 16, our brains are still developing. Quoting Steinberg, “Hot cognitive abilities are those we rely on to make good decisions when we are emotionally aroused, in groups or in a hurry...self-regulation does not mature until about age 22...” Although cold cognitive abilities are developed at 16, that does not mean we are mentally and knowledgeably ready to vote. Basic civics and economics are not necessarily amongst their repertoire.
There are plenty more reasons why 16 year olds shouldn’t vote. In high school, teens are constantly facing peer pressure and are eager to fit in. They are also easily manipulated by social media. We are constantly exposed to it, and oftentimes it can be very single-sided. Another factor that may influence young voters is their parents. At this age we are still living under our parents’ roofs and exposed to our parents’ political views. Undoubtedly, there would be plenty of teens voting purely because of their parents. The voting age should remain at 18, because that’s when you officially become an adult and become responsible for yourself.
Even though I don't believe the suffrage age should be lowered, I totally understand the desire to be heard amongst teens. There are many ways to do this. For example, teens can sign petitions, participate in peaceful marches and rallies, and contact representatives in all levels. Voting is not the only way for teens’ voices to be heard.
I completely disagree with the author's proposal. I do not think that the voting age should be lowered exclusively towards what just happened with school shootings, it is not a good justification. I think kids my age, being a 16 year-old myself, are still developing in their brains. We are able to distinguish right from wrong and make well thought out decisions, but I do not think we are fully mature enough to make a decision of who should be leading our country. We are still in high school! The brain science does not provide full backup for this claim because 16 year-olds are still vulnerable to so many things to alter their decisions and just are not mature enough to vote. If the voting age was lower i would vote, but I do not think that our minds are mature enough. I would vote to make a contribution to our country.
I think that the voting rights should be lowered to 16 because,we need to have a say in our future. All we do is protest and say "change gun laws", or something to do with major issues, but we aren't heard. Most politicians will die soon, and the laws they put in will have their ups and downs, but we could suffer and not be able to change them. Yeah we can amend laws, but only a little bit.
In conclusion voting rights should be lowered to the age 16 so that we can be the change we wish to see in our world.
If someone were to ask me this question a month ago, I would have said no. But then the Florida shooting happened. It opened everyone's eyes, and primarily the eyes of youth, to this increasing terror: school shootings. Students from the school flocked to their state capitol to talk with lawmakers and protest gun violence. But they didn’t respond. They avoided the subject and one lawmaker even called the protesting students “immature” and said that “they didn’t know what they were doing”. But how could they be called immature after some of their best friends had been murdered and they were trying to stop that from happening to anyone else? Things are happening that relate more and more to youth, and if older lawmakers won’t do anything about it, we should.
Students in this day and age are continually beginning things when they are younger and younger. An example of this is media. Students in schools have practically unlimited access to media via their phones and are much more involved in politics than in the past. The fact that students have time and time again showed our interest in our future is the proof we need to lower the legal voting age. Those who don't follow politics don't necessarily have to vote and I'm sure they are much less likely too as well. We're ready to lower the legal age.
Absolutely not. People are not mentally developed enough to make educated choices about their votes, and it would most likely end up being a regurgitation of whatever their parents, friends, or a major news outlet told them to vote for. The voting age is just fine where it is, mere children are not biologically ready to be able to vote.
I think the vote should be lowered to 16 years because they can said what they think and feel about some themes that happen with them, like the shooters in the schools. It is true that the teenagers are unpredictable and impulsive, but they know what is good and bad, what benefits to them and the others, and what they can do for some facts in the country and society. Many people when they grow up to become in an adult they just think what things can they solve and it is true that this work but they do not take care about what the younger people said like teenagers. This happen always because the old people that they have the reason and experience and an position most higher than the youngers but that can be true but sometimes they can have the right answer to help more than the adults. If fact, the vote need lowered to 16 years old because the country need hear and listen to the all community does not matter their ages.
I think that is not a good idea lowering the legal voting age in the United Sates. I think these one because the right of voting, is very important and affect to all population. We need have the capacity for exercise that right and with sixteen years old, I think that we don’t have de maturity of making some important decision about our life and our nation. When I was sixteen years old, I could take some decisions in my life but I dind’t had idea about the legal proposals, economic signatures or what is more benefit for my future. Is important have a capacity to exercise that right and these you take with studies, experience and living in the real world. For that, if I had sixteen years old, I wouldn’t vote.
I believe that the age should be lowered to 16 why? well as of today many 16 year olds are smarter then adults and many have more common sense, after what happened at parkland adults still don't think gun laws should be changed but all these young 16 year olds do because they know what is the right thing to do.
I think the young people that have 16 should not vote because I know the many young people could have more experiences that the older people, buy there are so much people that is not ready to make better decisions. Give the vote to the young people would be good, but also there is a many a large amount of young people that is not ready. Many young people make many things that affect to other people. Young people is not aware of consequences of their own acts and decisions. They are very hothead and do not think the things very well. The old people know that the young people can do great things, but also there are many people that is not ready to do a good decisions and do not have the sufficient experience to do it, but if the vote are lowered to the young people I’ll obviously vote because for me do not care about who vote, I just hope that the people make a good decisions because all votes to be count.
i agree but get your spelling right
Well said Brandon
I don’t agree with the writer’s proposal to lower the voting age to 16. Because at that age some teenagers don’t think well and some of them don’t know what they want at that age. the young people over 18years old, most of them know what is good for their future and they think before doing something because some of them depend of themselves. At that age you know what is good or bad
The current voting age is set to 18 years old. This is the age that people are considered independent, having come straight from high school and into the real world. This, however, should not be the age that they should start voting and making decisions for their country. The voting age should be lowered to 16 because the decisions they vote on when they're 16 will affect them in two years when they will be 18. By 16 years old, students have already developed an opinion in which they can support with facts and arguments. 16-year-olds who feel strongly about an issue will be able to have their voice heard and their opinions will matter. If someone is not as interested in politics, they can easily not vote like many Americans who are over the age of 18 do. Lowering the voting age will not bring in opinions that are ignorant or naive, it will instead bring in fresh, new opinions that come from a different point of view.
The proposal to lower the voting age sounds great in theory, but I don’t believe it would be a good idea. Yes, these children are the ones who are affected by by decisions like these, however we must remember they are still children. At that age, we are still learning who we are and how to approach life. The brain science discussed does support the argument, although these statistics do not apply to every teenager. We should remember that decisions like these are crucial to our future, specifically theirs, yet we cannot give full reign to them when they don’t know what’s best for them at this point. At the age of 16, we are in the process of becoming adults. The rest of the world treats us as young adults until we turn 18. If we can vote at 16, we should also be allowed to be considered adults? Are we willing to make that step? Personally, I don’t believe we should.
With the recent political outcome of Trump's presidency, I find myself increasingly wondering what has become of the American citizens. Although it is a common occurrence, I still find it baffling when President Trump tweets (usually ending with one word and an exclamation mark.) And I still find it baffling that the NRA wants to pass more laws to protect guns. It almost seems to me that we are living in a dystopian novel because of all the events that have been happening.
Do I think that 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote? Yessir. If that time comes, I would cast my vote in a heartbeat. People need to realize that their votes are going to affect everyone, especially the younger generations, in the long run.
I believe having the ability to vote at 18 makes total sense. By then, they're considered adults, not adolescents. 16-year-olds, such as myself, may not totally understand who they're voting for or what they stand for. Many kids my age may take it as a joke and vote for a completely unfit candidate just because they think it's funny. While I believe that 16-year-olds are passionate in political topics, such as gun reform after the recent high school shooting, I don't believe we should be given the right to vote.
Gilpin, the author of the article "Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16?" makes an informative and persuasive opinion on lowering the voting age. Many in favor of lowering the voting age to 16 believe it is a reasonable suggestion because 16-year-olds do have the mental capacity to make an informed decision. 16-year-olds are what would affect the outcome of an election. The young generation has been sparking new ideas and movements in hope to change the ways and laws of our country. However, I believe lowering the voting age is not the right solution. After the Florida shooting, the age to obtain a gun has gone up in many states. 16 years old cannot purchase a gun, nor can they purchase alcohol until they are 21. Therefore, to lower the voting age would be counterintuitive to what the other laws have been pushing toward. With the age rising for many other activities, the voting age should not stray away from that. Keeping the voting age at 18 would be the smartest solution because that is when teenagers truly become adults.
I understand your view and where you're coming from, but I do not agree. It's my personal opinion that the voting age should be lowered. You say lowering the voting age could be counter intuitive due to gun and alcohol laws, but I don't see the connection between either of those and voting. I believe if the voting age were lowered to sixteen it would allow even more voices to be heard. The way I see it, if you're a politically active 16-year-old with interest in voting, you're most likely going to be mature enough to cast an educated vote. Allowing 16-year-olds to vote would further diversify our nations political spectrum and better represent our youth within the government.
Personally I believe that the voting age should not be lowered to 16 years old. As a 17 year old I can personally attest to the fact that most 16 year olds are not actively involved in politics. I feel that they are not equipped with enough knowledge to make educated voting decisions with the legal voting age lowered to 16.
I think that this is a stupid idea, because younger people don’t have the mind to see or know how to decide something that is good for everyone and they only thing in something to be happy. at the age the 16 they don’t take serious responsibilities and elect a president is one the things important that we must all be very careful because this is the person will be going to represent all.
According to psychologists, 18 year old human beings have already developed the part of the brain that allows them to make judgments and take rational decision. But the reality tell us something else, young people of 19 years old who buy a gun and kill seventeen young people, young people submerged in a virtual world or social-media that in reality do not contribute anything to their intellectual and emotional development. Every day we see in the news fights of young people without any reason, young people who go to jail for hate crimes, young people who kill themselves for absurdities comments in social-media, Young people who kill their parent because they were not given what they wanted, etc. Then you think it is appropriate that a youth that is developing under these environments, without rational judgments, can consciously choose the right person to lead the society. It is obvious that no. We cannot allow the age to go down to vote, on the contrary, we must go up to 25 year old where we can possibly have broad concepts and judgments that are more accurate in order to exercise that great power that is vote.
I personally don't think the voting age should be lowered. Don't get me wrong, I'm turning 16 in a month and I would love to be able to have my voice heard in the next election, but I don't think that that lowering the voting age would cause that much in a difference in voter turnout in the long run. Sure, maybe for a few years the voter turnout would spike, but then we would come back to the same issue once voting doesn't become as appealing towards a younger generation. It doesn't matter what cognitive abilities you have developed if you don't have interest in the first place. I do agree on the fact however that the teenagers at this past tragic shooting in Florida should be heard. Lawmakers were't there to hear the gunshots, to see the fear and confusion among the students. Those students were, they need to be heard. But voting isn't the only way to let your voice be heard by congress. When I wanted to voice my opinion on Net Neutrality, I sent my Representative (Thom Tillis) an email. He responded to it to make sure I knew my voice was heard. The more uproar that happens around gun control, the more pressure that will be put on the legislative branch to do something. A person's voice in government in this day and age isn't restricted to voting anymore. There are multiple avenues. Calling or messaging your congressman, signing petitions, joining in on peaceful protests. These are all ways that show that can make sure your voice is heard, along with thousands of others.
Brazilians can vote at 16. Look what politicians that country has...
I do not believe the voting age should be lowered to 16. As teenagers, we are experiencing so many “firsts” at the same time. These include new responsibilities and life experiences, not to mention today’s added pressure of social media waiting at every corner. These mid-teenage years are for finding what you stand for and analyzing opinions to make your own. Basically, this is the stage you need to go through before making informed decisions, like voting. As discussed in the article, at this stage, teens’ brains aren't fully developed, and we haven’t implanted a firm stance on a lot of issues. Voting requires a calm mind that isn’t constantly going back-and-forth between choices.
It is important to recognize that many teenagers do want to be involved in their country’s politics and decisions. This is evident through protests and action taken by students like the ones from Parkland, Florida. Of course, this is great; young people becoming invested in what they believe in, and this can be continued by anyone who wants to make a change- voting age or not. However, these students have had a personal encounter with the issue on hand, while many others’ haven’t had enough experience to find their “passion” to stand for. At the current voting age; 18, young adults have usually gone through things like learning to drive, college decisions and attendance, and thought about future careers. It just seems more logical to keep the voting age where it is based on these circumstances.
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I believe that at the age of 16 people should be able to vote, as it is the age at which you are expected to act as if you are an adult and are given basic responsibilities of one. Most people at this age have jobs and drive, they are carrying their weight in the world and providing for themselves and taking responsibility. The argument of this age being too young is invalid, we have so much put on us at this age and we should be able to help decide our fate.
There should be a test on each candidates views and promises that is taken at the time of voting. It will ensure educated, or at least determined people, are voting and properly informed on the issues at hand. Not just blindly following your political ideals.
So on one side 16-year-olds are old enough to vote; and on the other hand, they are not old enough to buy guns or alcohol. Pick one, either you are equipped enough to vote, drink and own a firearm or 16-year-olds are children and should worry about school and learning.
Personally, I think everything (vote, drink, arms military service) should be 18 across the board.
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I agree with most of the points you have, and I personally think that the age should be 18, but I also that that alcohol should remain the same because even though all adults get in trouble with alcohol, students are more likely to drink uncontrollably and lose cognitive function, even though they feel they have them ex: Drunk Driving.
i am 16 i do not agree with this my reason for this decision is because my age group is so easily manipulated by the media most of us give little thought is making some decision and most believe whatever they are told.
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I do not think voting age should be lower to 16, this is an immature time. Most of the students changes their mind everyday biased on what they hear from people. At this age they still learning about their self and they don’t have any idea about politics. Also 16 years olds are not adults yet and they live under control of parents. They still have a kid mentality and they are still leaning. In addition, they do not pay attention to currents issues and what is going on in politics. Therefore, it is best to vote age of eighteen.
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I agree completely, as a student i feel that my peers and I will not be able to make a conscious decision for ourselves based on research, but a shot in the dark based on what they hear.
I’m totally agree with the professor Steinberg the writer to lowered the voting age to sixteen because at that age we have knowledge in what we want to do. Even though some studios show that some teenagers don’t think to make a decision and sometime could be danger or wrong
No I do not agree with proposal of writer. In our country, 18 years are age considered for being adult. The law are not same for an adult or underage, if we change the voting age we have to change all laws, so people ages 16 years will be judged as adult in different cases. The article mention the law about age of permission to carrying a gun is 18 years, and he adds that why not allowed 16 years to carrying a gun, because they are venerable. I think all people are venerable, there is no specific age of being killed, with gun or different arm, but giving a permission to underage carrying a gun, for making order and feeling safe in school, or street is a worst solution I heard after Trump tweet. So is not a good idea to mixed subject like that. In first lawmakers should change gun law for adult and underage, in way no one will be hurt again. In second voting is decision we make for 319 million people live in U.S.A , how can we trust on kids of 16 years to make decision for united states future. Psychology proposal attract me they said the age to make decision is 16 years. I remember that some psychology said a teenagers cannot make a good decisions because in that age they have a little world where they live so they do not can make difference or make decision. Maybe their analyses can changed with a case of study!
I do not agree that at the age of 16 a person can vote. It is good that young people want to be heard and that their request for gun control is taken into account. Young people at the age of 16 are going to high school and do not know how a government works, or what a legislator would do. In most countries, the oldest voting age is 18 for some reason. With 18 or 20 years, you already take charge of your life and you can work. Therefore, at 16 it is good that they only concentrate on their studies and what they want to do in the future.
I believe that the voting age should not be lowered. Most teenagers both change the way they think regularly and do not know about politics or the laws that the country has. Most of them are thinking about hanging out with friends or just fulfill their responsibilities at home or school, even some teenagers do not understand the impact they can offer to the society with their votes, and to be honest, some of them just make decisions and they do not think in the consequences. However, I think that if they want to be heard, they can make it by protests, marches or look for some way where they can show what they really want in order to improve the situation of the country.
In my opinion, I do not think that the voting age should be lowered to 16. Maturity is also a problem at 16, and so is being influenced by others. Kids don’t understand about the idea and politics to what happens or who becomes the President in this country. Voting at 16 would be too young to the predict politics of today. In addition, even 18 year-olds nowadays that do not take voting seriously now, I would predict that 16 year-olds would not either. Overall, this would add unnecessary votes to many elections.
I think that the voting should not be of the lowered. Teenagers of sixteen age are not ready to vote because their brains are not develop sufficiently to make decisions for a government. However, in this time the parents do not take a few time for talk with their children about of the society. The teenagers does not have enough ideas to vote, because they do not know the economy well enough to vote. They must should be oriented to make a good decision.
According the legal voting should be age 18 years old, is a good idea keep the age.
So not is a good idea try to change the age to voting despite the horrific fact in the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School” in Florida because the younger people not take good decisions and easily can be manipulate by other people. About weapon’s sale is from the government who have to take the rules in sale, and check everything for who need it, and not relate this topic from change the age to voting because is treat the our nation that is United States. Then we cannot allow that those episodes return to happen and every terrorism or mistakes can change the rules.
When the people decide vote, they are able to think before do that. People can vote from 18 age. Many teenagers want to vote and they think that from 16 age they also are able to vote but; personality I think they are not able to get a good decision. They do not have enough experience such as adults, and their mind are still sleeping. This article do not support the argument such as necessary to make a decision and consider their opinion. Many teenagers just think about their boyfriend or girlfriend, fashion and other things and they do not have enough ability to vote.
It isn't necessarily your place to say what teenagers as a whole are thinking of. Not all teenagers are thinking of their latest love interest or what they wear. Sixteen-year-olds may not have the experience in the adult world as eighteen-year-olds and older have, but as the article mentions, research of cold cognition, our ability to make decisions in a calm situation using logic, has made it evident that these abilities are firmly in place by age 16. Just look at what we "ignorant teens" have done since the Florida tragedy. We've organized protests, walkouts, and spoke out on social media. Sure we make irrational decisions due to peer pressure and under stressful situations, but so do adults. We aren't any less capable of voting during elections than eighteen-year-olds.
I think, the voting age should be lowered to 16 is a good thinking. Because we need to encourage effective and relevant civic learning. We need to make voting habit from early age, when they are something understand. Sixteen and seventeen years old are ready to vote, because they are already know which one is good or bad. Lowering the voting age will help increase voter turnout.
I agree we should lower the voting age to 16, because we a person grows up to 16 years old, he had studded how to distinguish the thing is right or wrong, their mind, and freedom of speech. They are different Childers. They will not let the outside world influence their decisions. Maybe they are too young for social environment, but for voting, I think they can be fully involved. They have right let government to protect themselves. The society needs someone to say something for children that uses to protect children, so why not the person is not children selves. Especially after several shootings in high school, they should have the right to discuss the issue of guns. Therefore, I think we should lower the voting age to 16.
I think that scientifically young people at the age of sixteen are ready to vote, especially because they are people who are nowadays informed about the use of technology. Young people have the ability to analyze and raise their voice to make social changes. Due to the vulnerability of the schools to the recent shootings, students are becoming informed and aware of the importance of their participation in social changes. This should always be, the politicians should take into account their ideas based on their needs and different ways of thinking. If the United States reduced the age, I would vote if that was my case to give me the opportunity to make changes and not just to protest. Because the facts are worth more than words.
In my opinion, I agree with the proposal to lower the voting age from 18 year old to 16 years old. How 18 years old are expose to shootings and other issues 16 years old are too. At this time, most of the victims are teenagers, no more than 16 years old and I think that if they want gun control they must be allow to voting. I think that the brain of the 16 years old person is sufficient develop to make a good decision but also they can make a mistake like an adult can do but , actually adult make more bad decision than adolescents. Voting age should be lowered because every day is easier to a person with mental issues get a gun and the government do not do anything about it. Teenager’s voice should be hear because they are almost adults and they just want to be save in their schools.
I think that lower the voting to sixteen years old. It is not a good idea because there are many important points that people might take such as the majority teenager aren’t really interesting about the real responsibility and the implication that vote means. Be a responsible citizen many times is not bear on with a specific age. You are able to be a responsible citizen having just sixteen years old but it depends about the topic, they take interested in guns for the recent attack in the high school. Many people die, and students want to do something to counteract this kind of acts because they lost his friends, parents, classmates. In other words, low the voting age is not going to change anything, the high demand of guns is just growing because it is a good business.
Based on the article, voting should not be lowered because under the age of is very young to vote. Sometime they will not have any choice to vote for whom they want. In age of 18 consider as adult to understand the politics maturity better. In addition, it has given them freedom to choose whomever they want to vote. Although, during the World War II the announcement that people should be vote 18. This was after Vietnam War. Even though, our 26 amendment gave right to vote at age of 18, this was also include that we cannot discriminate on race, color, age, or gender.
In my opinion the voting age should not lowered to 16 because I think that teenagers of that age are not able to think clearly. Many of them can be manipulate by other people, they are not yet mature enough to make their own decisions and let themselves be influenced by the decisions of their parents, friends or acquaintances. When we are teenagers we do not worry about many things about politics and that can cause them to make a wrong decisions. Some of them can vote but not everyone can vote.
On one hand, teenagers have the ability to make rational decisions. By age sixteen, the vital skills needed to make logical choices are fully developed. A sixteen years old is one hundred percent capable of making such a choice on the ballot. But just because teenagers can make decisions, does not mean that they should vote. What is the point of lowering the voting age? It is not like every high schooler will go out and vote. Voting is a responsibility that comes with age. Just because they can, does not mean that the age should be changed.
The voting age should NOT be lowered. The voting age rule has been in effect since 1943 for a good reason. There is no good reason to lower the age now. Once teens are able to financially support themselves and understand how the economy affects them then they can vote, but for now while teens are under the protection of their loved ones, they should not be able to vote. So much can change in two years including one's political views.
After reading this article, I noticed that the author Laurence Steinberg pointed out the difference between cold and hot cognitive abilities. How our decisions and actions can either come from a place of reason and logic, or come as more of a reaction of emotion to an event. This cognitive function could prove disruptive for elections, since voters are voting for whatever candidate promises what they want to hear.
I believe that at 16 people are able to reason logically and that they statistically make as many mistakes as adults, but that doesn't mean that they're well equipped enough to vote. In fact, you could go to any high school and ask ten people to name the Vice President and they would have no clue. It could be a great thing to let people this age, my age, to vote in the government, but it shouldn't be that easy.
I propose a solution: A certification exam. To prove voters know what the government is, and how it works, before voting. If people look to come to the poll to vote and expect immediate change, they shouldn't vote in the first place. Change takes time. Power is in the hands of the people, but that power is delegated to the representative OTHERS put in government. At this age we see representatives appointed and presidents nominated without our voice being heard. I say no more to that. We need toinform the youth of America the power we hold in elections, and help them recognize our right to practice that freedom. It is our right, and responsibility, to vote.
I agree with the writer’s proposal to lower the voting age to to 16 so that those who are most vulnerable to school shootings have a fair say in what they think is right. While 18 year olds can also be exposed and vulnerable to school shootings, 16 year olds are mainly the ones who are most vulnerable to the school shooting issue. While we can protest, sometimes it can’t cause for change. I’ve seen so many protests and calls to action on social media from high schoolers everywhere, but I still haven’t heard anything from our government about change besides arming teachers with guns. Which is the exact opposite of what most people have asked for. Most people that I know of have asked for the banning of guns, not more guns. If the voting age was lowered, those most affected by this could actually have a say and could actually get what they want and need.
I think the voting age should be lowered for other reasons such as, like the article says, we could change the perception of our generation from “indolent narcissists whose brains have been addled by smartphones” to teenagers who want and need action to be taken. We want change and we want it now, we might seem like all we do is snapchat or tweet but that isn’t true. We care about the world that we live in and we want change to happen.
Do I believe the voting age should be lowered to 16? In short, no. While it is true that teenagers don’t really make any more bad decisions than adults, the vast majority teenagers just do not know enough about politics to warrant allowing them to vote. This is not our fault however, as many issues affecting our country at the moment in no way affect us teenagers. So if most of these issues don’t affect us, we will not care about them and therefore make decisions in voting that only focus on one issue directly affecting us. For instance if I was a witness of the Parkland shooting and I could vote, I may just vote for whatever candidate wants to completely eradicate guns, even if it is very clear they are going to drive the country into the ground. So as a teenager I can say that I do not care enough, and do not know enough about politics to allow myself to vote.
In my opinion, I do not think that the voting age should be lowered to 16. At the age of 16 you are either in your sophomore or junior in high school. Also at this age you are just starting to drive in some states. The voting age at 18 makes sense because you are now an adult and going off to college so you have your on opinions on politics. If it is lowered everyone might not know all the information and vote randomly. If the voting age in lowered, I would vote but I would make sure I know all the information possible and decide the best option. In conclusion, I don't think the voting age should be lowered.
Can't say I'm either for it or against it. Most critics do say that teenagers don't know much about politics. But neither do your average American. The thing is some schools force students to take government classes where they learn about more political things than most adult know. Like I was a 15/16 year old, now I'm 17, junior taking Ap Gov last year and I did very well in that class(got a 5) and most states require the class for graduation. The only thing that people have is the stereotype that teenagers don't pay attention to the news, which isn't wrong but it's probably more along the lines of the average American. Not every American knows what's going on in the news and I bet you some of them haven't heard about these shootings, but they are still allowed to vote. The thing I'm trying to say is that even if high schoolers aren't "as informed" as most adults say they are I still think that our opinions matter especially on matters like these shootings. If that's enough for 16 year olds to vote....... that's up to Congress.
So on one side 16-year-olds are old enough to vote; and on the other hand, they are not old enough to buy guns or alcohol. Pick one, either you are equipped enough to vote, drink and own a firearm or 16-year-olds are children and should worry about school and learning.
Personally, I think everything (vote, drink, arms military service) should be 18 across the board. At 16 I believe that the children should have the sole focus of building a foundation of education for the future. Current events and community activism can wait until 18.
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Yes i agree with the proposal of lowering the voting age to 16, because if the age is lowered to 16 it would allow more people who are serious about politics and want to use politics to change the future for the better, an opportunity to do so now instead of waiting another two years. "
It seems nowadays, especially as the article stated from the response to the Florida shooting, that students have already voiced their opinions and are not afraid to share what they are thinking, and fighting for what they think is right. Unfortunately, not much has changed, as loud as teens can be. as many positive responses and voices there are at 16, there are also many that are negative, not responsible enough nor mature enough to be able to vote. Many kids are like parrots, repeating whatever their parents say, instead of forming their own decisions in fear what they might say will be ridiculed. I see this all throughout my classes, kids being so opinionated over something they heard briefly over the dinner table, then coming back to school and repeating it, without even knowing what they are saying. This issue along with the many other bad decisions I see going on among high schoolers makes it hard to convince myself that these people are ready to make decisions for our country.
I do not believe the voting age should be lowered because teenagers will not be able to handle themselves in a voting booth that may effect their own or someone else's life. Also, so many people at my school (middle school) do lots of drugs and stuff and if you have a 16 year old in a voting booth while they are high they could be a winning vote, for the wrong side.
No, the voting age should not be lowered. If teenagers want to have a voice let them march. Im 17, and there is not a doubt in my mind that the great majority of teenagers are ignorant amongst the topic of politics. Furthermore they are much likely to follow under the party that their parents hold. It is not rational to open the polls to a group of people ill educated to that of US Government and Politics. Its laughable.
School Shootings, Rights, Modern-day accommodations to pre-existing laws, views on wholly taxing political beliefs - all of those being, things today's generation of youth is generating opinions on, and causing a pandemic of quarrels and debates over. This generation is a mixture of aliases - regarding what we believe to be right and just; we fight for what we individually believe in. We want our voices to be heard. We want to be able to assist the bringing of change. Why should that responsibility be left sheerly for those whom are over the age of eighteen?
As the article states - you finish fully developing around the age of twenty-two, therefore, your decision making will be immediately improved! Right?
No.
I strongly affirm that age and experience can help you greatly with some decisions, yes - but, why drown out the voice of teenagers, when some of them are sure to have valuable words of wisdom, and are intelligent enough to make their own choices?
As a well-known quote reads: "Wisdom doesn't always come with age. It comes with mistakes made."
Having the ability to think for yourself and make your own decisions is a well sought-after tool, that you essentially need. So, why put a minimum age-cap on a large example of it?
Teenagers helping to elect a president could go very well, or, it could go negatively. But, we've never really had the opportunity to prove how it would go, considering it's been restricted to us. Our opinions/beliefs should hold weight, too.
As a 16 year old, I myself do not agree with the argument to lower the voting age from 18 to 16. 1.2 million students drop out of high school every year. The dropout rate has fallen 3% from 1990 to 2010 (12.1% to 7.4%). I do not believe teenagers should be aloud to vote and make political decisions when such a high number are not attending or passing high school. I know several uneducated adults are making these political decisions but i believe opening the voting to an even higher number of uneducated people is not a smart decision. I understand the reasons put forth for this movement but, i disagree with the logic of the potential outcome. Teenagers can still make their voice heard without voting. Also, kids are constantly hearing their parents opinions on political topics and do not further their knowledge by doing their own research.
I believe that the voting age should be lowered. Teenagers voices should be heard and people think that our opinions are unimportant and they look over them. Teenagers are close to being adults and expect to be safe during that period of time. When a gun is easier to get that a drivers licence that is unacceptable. gun laws should be raised to be striker and more efficient than letting people get guns with disorders and mental disabilities. We expect to be safe and not have rampaging people with guns running around and killing people. even if we are not adults our opinions should be heard!!!!!!!!!
I do not agree with the writer’s stance that the voting age should be lowered from eighteen to sixteen. At this age I do believe that some 16-year olds are capable of making these political decisions on what to vote for, but that does not pertain to most. At this age there are many 16-year-olds who do not pay attention to current events and what is happening in politics. Also, that they truly do not have a grasp on the meaning of the events. If I was able to vote at 17, I do not believe that I would because I do not necessarily pay attention to government actions unless I am talking about it in one of my classes. Also, 16-year-olds are not a legal adult yet so they are still living at home listening to their parents opinions. This could sway them in one direction instead of making their own decision on what to vote for. I believe that the younger audience is easier to direct in one direction by feeding them false information about a certain topic. Many have not been exposed to the harsh world of politics and what occurs in order to win votes. High school students are still able to have a voice even if they are not allowed to vote. There are the high school students from the school shooting in Florida speaking out on their opinions of gun control and what should happen to control it. These students are making a difference even though they do not have the right to vote.
I do not think that the voting age should be lowered to 16, this a very young time in peoples lives and opinions change almost daily. This is very unfair to the Republican party because the way the media works it sucks kids into thinking that the Republican Party is all racist and has an agenda to ruin America. Maturity is also a problem at 16, and so is being influenced by others. Kids do not need any say in what happens or who becomes the President in this country, they are not politically educated nor at the level of maturity for anything like voting.
Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? - Anna Lowd
In my opinion, I do not believe that the voting age should be lowered from 18 to 16. Being a high school student, I have not been exposed to politics that much and do not feel I have all of the adequate information to place an educated vote. However I disagree with points made about how 16 year olds cannot make educational decisions and lack competence. Especially with education being harder today than it was in the past, students have complete knowledge and awareness that they could possibly participate in elections and voting. Voting at 16 would be exposing children too young to the gruesome politics of today. Also I know 18 year-olds that do not take voting seriously now, I would predict that 16 year-olds wouldn’t either. Overall this would add unnecessary votes to many elections.
If the voting age were to be lowered to 16, I would vote. Many of the decisions that voters decide on now are what teenagers enter once they are considered “adults”. College students, just as high school students, have the same ability to be swayed by their peers and are quick to make impulsive decisions if they are unaware of the topic. If voters are voting on education, being a student, I wouldn’t want a 60 year old high school drop out making decisions on what will occur with my education. Also, how come we can register to vote at 16, yet not be able to vote? In order to register, I believe that some sort of maturity and responsibility is needed simply to reach out and desire to vote in the future.
The status quo must be maintained due to the fact that elections aren’t always “cold cognition” scenarios. Elections have been well known to be hectic with the emphasis of political and public pressure being based on the choice of the individual, therefore the brain relies on “hot cognition” since the would-be voter is being pressured by peers and organizations. Studies have already shown that at 16 the part of the brain that processes “hot cognition” is not fully developed and makes them more susceptible to emotional outbursts and the bias in decisions that follows, especially when a presidential candidate tries to poke at emotions to rally people together. This part of the brain is more developed in a 21 year old and is less likely (not never) to vote based on emotions.
If the voting age we’re to be be lowered to 16, I personally do not believe that it will make any significant change to the society that we live in today. Changing the voting age will not help simply because a lot of teenagers these days are too easily influenced by others. Some teenagers don’t understand the impact that their votes can have. They tend to make decisions with out thinking of the consequences and they can do the same when voting. However, I do agree that it isn’t important for teenagers to have a voice. They can be heard through means other than voting. For instance, the school walkouts have gotten a lot of attention in the past weeks and they’ve have made their voices heard. For these reasons I believe voting age should remain at 18.
Should 16-year-olds be able to vote, let me take a moment to laugh. The issue with that is, were kids. It might sting some to be called that, but that is because it's true. We aren't as focused or passionate on politics to make specific decisions that could affect the country as a whole. Sure, this can deal a lot with gun-control and drugs, but a few hundred thousand teens still aren't loud enough to reach the government. NRA, they control what happens with guns because they have the time, money, and power to toy with whatever they want. Drugs, I don;t think we need to see a bunch of stoned kids walking around campus just because "it's legal". Besides, most of us will just bandwagon off of somebody else's idea of society because we don't want to understand. Our job as student is to study so we can have a greater education that the generation before us, so we have a chance to make this country better for those who come after us.
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Go to a highschool and interview 3 random 16 year olds. Ask them current political questions. 2 out of the 3 will have no clue what your talking about. enough said.
On the grand scheme of the future of the United States, I do not think that lowering the voting age would be neither advantageous, nor wise. Being a sixteen-year-old myself, I speak first hand when I say that my peers and I can make rash decisions based on what we think we know. We will argue tooth and nail about a topic that we can do nothing about.
It is this deliberation that forms who we are politically.
If we were to lower the voting age to sixteen, we would be giving citizens who are still learning how to properly debate a voice in government. Many teens are not yet exposed to the hardships of “the real world”: Some adult figures in my life - upon seeing teenage protesters rallying for various protests - mutter under their breaths “and none of them have paid a cent in taxes…” While this policy may be a little extreme, it is nonetheless true. Teens often express the more utopian views: larger federal government, more federal regulations, government guaranteed healthcare, and many other things that don’t affect their pockets, but the pockets of their parents. We do not see the bills. We do not see the taxes. Therefore, we give little care to the possible repercussions of the views we protest for.
Reality is expensive, and many of the views that teens who don’t pay the bills advocate for would make it more so; therefore, I maintain by keeping the voting age 18, we give teens the opportunity to see the world for what it really is, with open minds, and open wallets.
I think that both sides have equally convincing evidence. On the one hand, 16 year olds are still young, and barely forming their own political opinions. Many don’t know what to believe in, and many others like to live in ignorance of political issues. However, time and time again, we have seen teenagers age 16 or 17 achieve amazing feats. In regards to the Florida shooting, the “children” are the ones moving for change in a broken system, when adults refuse to do so. Teenagers this age are full of hope; they are passionate and strong-willed, and some apply these qualities to political issues as well. Even though both sides make sense, I believe that the voting age should be lowered to age 16. In these times, children are maturing much faster. There are many sixteen year olds with more rational and sophisticated opinions than adults. Also, I think that although sixteen year olds may just be forming informed political opinions, they should have a say in issues that drastically affect their lives, like gun violence. And overall, younger people are the future of the world. Change usually comes from the younger generation. I don’t think age difference between sixteen and eighteen is so drastic that 16-year-olds should be considered incompetent whereas 18-year-olds have the right to vote. It really wouldn’t make that much of a difference and to give young people a voice would be the right thing for everyone, especially to the passionate young people who care a lot about politics.
After a series of recent traumatic events it has sparked revolution in students as young as 16 to take it upon themself to see a change in the world. People are advocating the right for the voting age to lower to the age of 16 so they’re given the ability to have a say in the political laws and regulations that target them. The case being created is that people who are directly impacted by new laws don’t even have a say yet they are the ones who need to follow it, or some are victims to the laws that they didn’t have any option to share their thoughts. While understanding the authors point in lowering the voting age I’m torn between the wrong and right decision. I do agree that people around the age of 16 can be passionate for a specific change, however while that can be true it can be hard for people at that age to be so affirmative and confident in their opinion that they wouldn't change it under any circumstance. At the young age of 16, kids read things, hear things, and see things every day that can alter their perspectives. In addition at the age of 16 many people don’t have a fully developed background knowledge of everything involved in politics so it can be harmful to lower the voting age to 16 due possibly causing more harm than good with new laws.
While I agree that 16-year-olds should be able to have a say in a decision that pertains to them, I think that there are other ways of doing so than voting. As a 16-year-old, I want to be able to make my own decisions about my life and what happens with it. When someone tries to make one for me or tries to tell me what to do too often, I get frustrated.
Regarding school shootings, I would want to be able to help make a decision that affects my life, rather than having someone older than me-who isn’t experiencing the same things- make that decision. However, I think that what students are doing today to use their voice and make a difference is effective and I don’t think that they need to vote to persuade people to think differently.
I also think that a number of kids who are 16 aren’t very involved in current events or issues because they know that they don’t have to deal with that just yet. I think that being able to vote is a responsibility and people have to understand that the decision they are making actually has an effect on the real world. If the voting age was lowered, I think that teens would have to mature at a faster pace than they have had to before. With that being said, if the voting age were lowered, I would not vote. I feel like I haven’t been able to fully grasp an issue in my life where I would be able to make a clear decision and I don’t feel that I would be ready to take on a responsibility like that.
I believe that the voting age should stay the same at 18 and not be lowered to 16. Although studies have concluded that cold cognition, the abilities developed by the brain to make informed decisions, is in place by the age of 16, this does not mean that a 16 year old will have the information and intellectual abilities of an 18 year old that is better informed about the political system. An 18 year old likely has gone through high school history classes that covers the political voting process and the needs of a republican government such as our own. A 16 year old however is just in the process of learning the history of the U.S government and politics. Even with the development of cold cognition, 16 year olds can still make poor voting decisions as they will be less informed about the world and about the history of the political process. 18 is the perfect age for voting as the majority of 18 year olds have a basic understanding of the political process, the foundation of the U.S government, and will have developed cold cognition allowing them to make informed decisions based off of what they have learned.
I do not believe the voting age should be lowered any further, as a 17 year old in highschool, I get a lot of first experience in regards to how my fellow students conduct ourselves, the opinions we hold and how mature we are, and let me say these are not the people I want running our countries elections. Personally, I think even 18 is too young, at that age most people still act like normal high school students, irresponsible, unwise to the world around them for the most part, and unaware of the ramifications of their actions. In high school, most students worry about things like college, grades, sports, they should not also have to worry about who they are going to vote for in the next election or what their peers say if they vote for a certain candidate. With so much going on in the lives of most high school students in combination with their little experience with the world of govt. such as paying taxes, going to jury duty, and other actions adults must partake in to function in society, I believe it is a bad idea to allow them to vote, because they are likely to not think much about their vote, and have little experience to base their decision to vote for one candidate over another.
I don’t personally believe that the voting age should be lowered. As teenagers we have a lot of strong opinions, but our opinions change so rapidly. At one moment we might support Trump, the next we might support someone else. One day we’re Republicans, the next we’re Democrats. Our feelings change all the time and it’s not just with politics either. We might be best friends with someone for a week, totally inseparable. A week later we might hate them because of something they did over that weekend. Teenagers don’t always have concrete opinions and because of that they can’t choose with utter certainty who they would vote for if they were that young. As an eighteen year old a teenager is reaching adulthood, they have learned and they have grown as a person. They are making college decisions, concrete ones that will determine their future. At this point they have the right to vote because they are beginning to formulate long lasting opinions that will aid them in voting for who they prefer or what laws they want put into place.
When it comes to the legal age of when we are allowed to vote, I think it should stay the same. I don't think at 18 we know all that we should know about politics, the government so many other topic that would influence our vote. Im 17 and I've learned a lot about politics both this year and the previous year, and I know I will learn more as this year continues. These topics I'm learning helps me understand everything that's going on better, then I would have when I turned 16. I think there just too young. Were still maturing and gaining all this knowledge, last year compares to this year I've matured greatly and understand more about the world then I ever have before and what the best options are for us. The legal limit should stay 18 because at 16 were still just kids.
I disagree with the writer's proposal to lower the voting age to 16. Brain science may be fundamental to research of age qualifications for voting, but Professor Steinberg is only focusing on one theory (cold cognitive abilities) to support his claim. Other scientific studies have shown that 16-year-olds are still developing physically and psychologically, even though they can interpret most information without difficulty. In addition to science, education must be considered when it comes to age qualifications. Most 16-year-olds have not taken an American government class that would solidify their political stance and further their skills as voters and citizens. Once 16-years-olds reach the age of 18, they will have gained enough civic knowledge from school and be more level-minded about their decisions at the poll. Even though 16-years-old may not qualify for voting, they can still be politically and socially active in their communities through protest and volunteer work.
I do not believe that the legal voting age should be lowered from 18 to 16. I think that voting is a special privilege that you earn once you are a legal adult. Most teenagers are uninformed of the issues going on with the government and I think that by lowering the voting age, there will be a larger population of uninformed voters that will not be able to make an educated decision. There is obviously a portion of teenagers that have a political stance and would be able to make an informed decision on who to vote for, but just because some of these teenagers are taking a stand and voicing their beliefs does not mean that every teenager understands what is going on. This decision cannot only be made based on a small representation of the teenage population, but should be made on the entirety of the teenage population.
I agree with the writer of changing the voting age from 18 to 16 year olds vote; however, I do not think that in this current society that there are direct ways in which anyone can learn information that is not directly biased towards a political party. Political views, generally speaking for teenagers, are developed through a widely unchecked source, the media. Although I do agree that the voting age should be lowered to 16, I think that in order to do so, the government or a governmental organization must develop reliable and unbiased sources. This is so that those who typically do not have the knowledge or experience to gain sufficient knowledge to vote (young teenagers) have the ability to develop their own opinion and political stance. I look forward to the day of which I can vote, I myself being 16 years old, so that with my own political values and views, can vote and progress movements I believe in.
As a 16 year old myself, I do not think that the voting age should be lowered to 16. While I do accept that 16 and 17 year olds are able to make rational decisions using “cold” cognition in a low-pressure situation such as voting, I do not think that their scientific capability to make choices should make them eligible to vote. The primary reason that I am opposed to 16 and 17 year olds being able to vote is that they are not yet legal adults. For the majority of teens, this means that they are under the care and control of their parents. While a huge population of young people is interested in current events and politics, and stays up to date on unbiased views of various topics, there are still large numbers of 16 to 17 year olds whose only knowledge of political controversy comes from their parents. Many young people have been fed their parents’ ideas since birth, and when living at home have no source of outside knowledge. If teens who are not yet legal adults and therefore not yet independents are able to vote, I think that a large portion of this age group’s voters would simply vote however their parents tell them to. There are certainly many young people who would not do this, and not all 18 year olds have yet had the opportunity to form their own opinions, but I think that the current voting regulation should stay as this is a generally accepted age at which people are no longer dependents of their parents, and are most likely to begin to make their own choices.
I dissagree with the writers proposal of switching voting age to 16 for the federal level like president we would swing elections if we voted that isn’t true but that doesn’t really matter because we would complain and not take the blame if we voted them into a higher power of office. And as goes for school shootings they happen often that is true but most kids that are writing in this article I being one of them are under 18 and when the next election happening I will be able to vote because I will be the age of a voter it will be bad if school shooting still go on but honestly there’s no way they will ever stop. This is my reasoning for y we shouldn’t change the voting age to 16
I agree with the writers proposal to lower the voting age to 16. School shootings are happening more often then they should. so there needs to be an end to them. having kids that are of the age of 16 and are in school would be a perfect time for them to start voting because when the kids are in school they would know what to vote on.
I strongly agree with the writers proposal to lower the voting age to 16. School shootings are occurring more often then they should. Having kids that actually go to school and be there for most of the day suggest more ways to prevent school shooting is a great idea. Students don’t want that to ever happen to their own school and it is very scary. Having some students be vulnerable about this topic isn’t a bad thing, it just tells you that they care about their community and they want to be and feel safe. Having the age lowered will also help with other issues in the US that isn’t really talked about with older adults. Having younger minds would be a benefit in the voting community. Being limited to just protesting is not enough, having kids put their thoughts in to action will display a different perspective to the government. It might just benefit the US as a country as well.
When most 16 year olds are sent to school, as they are every day, many do not consider it anything bigger than receiving an education; which is predominately critical it self. However, given current circumstances the government has negated to even glimpse towards, going to school is no easy cake anymore.
Students in the 21st century, the generation most aware and informed ever of society's flaws, are only limited to protest, take a stand, or "walkout" of school when an event that shows the government's inability or rejection toward an enhanced future. When their friends are harmed or killed in school as a result of a lack of efficiency in the government, they are not allowed by current regulations to make a change in the government directly. Students must be able to vote because they offer a different perspective into this country, showing new ideas from a generation whose minds are the most informed in history at the moment.
Science also take a stand for skeptics of this innovated idea. As the article "Why We Should Lower the Voting Age to 16" suggested, by the age of 16, adolescents are able to efficiently process and gather new information, reason logically, and weigh pros and cons to make a final decision; as adults are, too. By the same token, if 16 year olds are able to mentally process information equally as adults are, there is no real contention to deny 16 year olds and up to vote for an efficient government that will ultimately take action.