Lowering the Voting age is that it will
create stronger political engagement.
Currently 18-24 year old's
have the lowest turn out.
By lowering the voting it would reengage votes in the following
ways, it would strength understanding and interested, it would
reorientate politics around issues concerning younger voters.
Youth interests ignored
Youth interests are currently ignore
under the system of voting at 18.
Due to the lack of political representation of 16
to 18 year old their views, needs and interested
are routinely marginalized or ignored.
Lowering the voting age will give fresh thinking
on education, drugs policy, and social morality.
Stronger political engament
concern about declineing civil engagement
focuses particularly on the young, as 18-24
years old's have the lowest turnout rates
lowering the voting age would
re-engage such voters in two
ways.
First, it would strengthen their
interest and understanding
Second, it would help to
re-orientate politics around
issues more meaningful to
younger voters
Irrational cut-off age
The notion that the current voting age
is a refection of intellectual and
educational development is flawed.
It both ignores the steady rise in
educational standards and the fact that no
restrictions are applied to ignorant and
poorly educated adults
If 16- or 17- years old's are being excluded from politics on
the grounds of their knowledge and level of understanding,
the principle is being very inconsistently applied
Immature voters
16 years old's are
immature voters.
Young people at 16 are usual
in full time education and
continue to live with their
parents.
This means that they are not full citizens, and
there educational development remains
incomplete due to there immaturity.
Most 16-18 year olds are
unlikely to be interested in or
understand politics.
Preserving childhood
The campaign to lower the voting age is a
symptom of a larger trends to erode
childhood by forcing adult responsibilities
and choices on children and young people
Adolescence should be a period during which young people can
concentrate on school, enjoyment and personal development,
without having weighty political matters placed on their shoulder
Deferred representation
To regard the lack of representation of 16-18
years old's as a political injustice is absurd
Unlike women and the working classes of old,
young people are not permanently denied political
representation
Their representation is only delayed or deferred. moreover, 18 year old's are
also likely to be broadly in touch with the interests of 16 and 17 year old's
Undermining turnout
lowering the voting age
would undermined turnout.
This is the idea that by lowering the
voting age the turnout rates may decline
The young person vote (16-24) may increases due
to increased size of the group but the overall turnout
may decline. Due to the fact that young voter are less
likely to vote than older voters.