We all know the argument for lowering the drinking age to 18, but students in Lowell, Massachusetts are now arguing that 17 year olds should be allowed to vote.
“When you’re 17, that’s when most of us are seniors,” said Carline Kirksey, one of the youth leaders of the campaign. “You have more adult responsibilities. You can join the military. You can be tried as an adult in court.” Another organizer Corinne Plaisir chimes in, saying that at 18 many young people are off at college. Figuring out the process all alone and voting unceremoniously by absentee ballot aren’t exactly enticements to civic participation. Instead, argues Plaisir, if young people can start voting in high school as part of their civics education, “It’s a prime time to engage in our civic rights.”
Personally, I agree with the teens in Lowell. At 17, you've begun to make your own decisions about politics. And when you're still in high school, voting seems like the coolest thing in the world; going into that little both, attaching the head and tail of the black arrow on the ballot. And they have good points. Plenty of minors are involved in politics today. From the youths at the Occupy protests, to Government classes in school, or being an activist for equality, teens are highly involved in the world of politics. So why not give them the a vote? It gives teens the privilege to have their voice heard and make a difference with their views, instead of their opinions falling on the deaf ears of adults who think kids don't know anything.
14 comments:
I agree, I feel like the one year difference wouldn't be too dramatic and it could switch up the game play as the predominantly liberal youth take the stage.
I agree, being a senior in high school, I feel like we are more responsible for our own learning with the classes we take, and we begin to formulate our own opinions. We aren't just being told about current events and politics from our parents, we're taking the time in and out of school to get informed from different points of views. On the other hand, in college, you would be even more independent, with a more free environment to formulate a more clear opinion. However, overall, I don't think it is that much of a difference, and I think it would be great to lower the voting age by a year.
I understand why teens might want to vote at a younger age, but like Crystal pointed out "the one year difference wouldn't be too dramatic," given generally lower turnout from 18 year olds. According to the US Census Bureau, only 14 percent of 18 year olds voted in the 2008 elections. Furthermore, if we lower the voting age, would that put pressure to lower the drinking age / smoking age? (E.G. If teens are smart enough to vote by 18, shouldn't they be smart enough to decide whether to smoke?) Remember that a main point of lowering the voting age originally was because teens could enlist but not vote by 18. If that is the case, is it worth it to have a (very likely) lower than 14 percent of 17 year olds vote in exchange for pressure to lower other age guidelines?
I love this post. I saw an item about it yesterday and nearly wrote the blogger in question about it. If you want young people to act mature, then take them seriously! There is no reason why students doing X number of hours of homework each night cannot be trusted to do some research and vote responsibly. I predict that a way higher % of 17 year olds will vote than 18 year olds, because every Gov teacher in the country will be thrilled to create a project around it and 18 year olds are often away from home and don't think to register in the commotion of their 1st semester at college.
I realize that 18-25 year olds have the lowest voting rate in the country, but I think lowering the age and getting them to start when they're still in the comfort of their homes gives an added incentive and encourages them to continue voting in the future.
I think there are various things that could be done to encourage youth involvement in government, and lowering the voting age could be a step in the right direction.
I think lowering the voting age to 17 could be a good idea, but as previous commentors have said, I don't think it'll make too big of a difference. I do think that at 17, most people will still be in high school and will therefore have more support and/or resources, whether it be from parents or family or teachers at school or others, should they decide to vote for the first time. In high school, voting seems like an adult and mature thing to do, whereas when first transitioning into college, it might just seem like an unnecessary hassle.
I absolutely love the fact that these young adults are petitioning to lower the voting age. It's such an underrated freedom to be able to actually take part in directing how the nation's future will be headed. People take voting for granted, even though only 50 years ago, many individuals, specifically African Americans, were denied their right to vote. I believe that one year is a big difference because although most seniors will be able to vote for next year's election, the ones (17 years old) who are too young to vote will not be able to participate until they are 21. I personally feel that voting is a really great opportunity for oneself and one's country. In all honesty, us high schoolers have relatively little independence and we rely on our parents much more than we'd like to admit. Voting is one of the small opportunities we have to make independent decisions at such a young age and I feel that it should be greatly encouraged.
I think its a great idea to lower the voting age but I could see a lot of problems that could occur if this happened. If the voting age where lowered, wouldn't the age to buy cigarettes and do other things restricted to 18 year olds also have to be lowered? It would seem unreasonable to allow a 17 year old to help make changes in the entire country when they cannot make their own decision on whether to buy cigarettes and such.
Lets be real now. Do you really think a bunch of 17-year-olds are chomping at the bit to go out and vote? I doubt it.
Although the 1 year age difference doesn't seem like a big deal to change, I highly doubt the shift would matter much. I understand that some young adults have strong political opinions and a deep desire to vote ASAP, but, keep in mind, these young adults consist of a MINORITY. In contrast, the MAJORITY of 17-year-olds wouldn't give a hoot if the government changed the voting eligibility age by a year. Shouldn't we be focused on the MAJORITY? After all, we do live in America..
In a couple of years, who's going to care if you voted when you were 17? Shouldn't we be focusing on more pressing issues, like environmental innovations, economic reform, and medical care?
Although others might say that lowering the voting age won't really make a difference, I think it is still a good idea and a manifestation of increasing awareness about politics among the youth. This a way to encourage the youth to be more engaged in political and national issues. I think most teens will take this seriously if it ever happens.
For those people who argue that teenagers don't have the capacity to fully understand complex issues, psychological studies have shown that teenagers are in a stage where they can form abstract reasoning skills and acquire knowledge more efficiently. We are also very enthusiastic in learning new things and ideas. Moreover, we are almost considered adults. Most of us drive and some work and pay taxes. Also, do all adults really think about the issues affecting the nation and carefully study all the candidates?
I do think that lowering the voting age by a year would be a good idea. It would help teens feel like they are starting to make a transition from high school to the real world where they can hold meaningful opinions, and it would coincide with the year seniors take Gov. I agree with the fact that 17 year olds having help at home with the voting process is better than trying to deal with it themselves when they are off at college. I am not sure if it would be a significantly higher number voting though.
I absoultely think that it would be a great idea to lower the voting age. Many 17 year olds at the time are usually taking governement classes and it would be a great way to participate in what we are learning instead of only seeing it in the book. At this time teens are in the midst of their political socialization and what better way to express those ideas than to vote. Personally I can't wait to register to vote on my 18th birthday and take part in the 2012 election even if I'm away from home.
I disagree. I don't think 17 year olds should get the right to vote. Plus, waiting 1 year wouldn't make that much of a difference. Voting may seem like the coolest thing in the world to minors, but honestly, think about all the other things people could do once they turn 18. They have the rest of their life to vote. I think the protesters are just being silly about this.
People should not be allowed to vote at the age of 17 because we legally aren't even adults yet. Not only are most people politically uninformed at the age of 17, but we would probably have to get parental consent to vote since we are still minors. Yes, it wouldnt make a big difference and it could spark interest in politics, but this is never going to pass...We would have to gain widespread support, convince our leaders to agree and ultimately amend the constitution...
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