Should they lower the legal voting age?

[hollow_eyes]

It has become increasingly obvious that teenagers and young adults are more socially and politically aware than ever before. This can be attributed to the rise of the internet and the imminent exposure of young adults to the various issues ingrained in their societies and on a global level

Comments

[fotia]

Perhaps it would be a good idea to lower the voting age, because only a certain portion of sixteen year olds are going to be interested enough in politics to vote. That is why I cannot believe the argument stating that young people are sound enough in their maturity to vote- because more mature 16 year olds would be the ones voting. Everybody has a different rate for maturing, and the generalization will just not do here.

Are there any political system that allows for younger audiences to vote? If so, I wonder what outcame.

[hollow_eyes]

Brazil and Iran, and i'm pretty sure there are some south american nations that have lower voting ages. Cuba's legal voting age is 16 and it seems to work for them.

[some_young_guy]

Just because you're 16 and (think) you're mature enough to vote, does not mean the rest of the 16 year-olds in Canada are. But leaving that aside, the most important reason to justify the voting age being 18 has nothing to do with maturity. It is simply this: sixteen year-olds don't pay taxes. Just think about it; if you don't contribute to a government, why should you be allowed to make decisions within it. Although 16 year-olds do pay GST and PST, I can easily say that the majority of them who do so are using money from their parents. As well, even those who do work are not paying income tax (unless they have dropped out of school) and thus are not contributing substantial amounts. Have you ever noticed how the box you check to be added to the registered voters list is on a T4 (that's a tax form for anyone who hasn't had the 'pleasure' of going through one of them)? So if you look at the bigger picture, lowering the legal voting age to 16 is stupid. Instead you should fight to allow all contributing members of society to vote; that

[hollow_eyes]

So tax the sixteen yr olds. If an 18 yr old with student loans and living expenses can live on taxed wages then so can a 16 yr old who doesn't pay for school or rent.

If it's a matter of losing an extra three-five bucks a paycheck in order to have the right to vote (and you still get tax returns anyways), i'd gladly give up that extra hundred bucks a year.

[hoboxcore]

You're also under the assumption that 18-year-olds are mature enough to vote.

I'd like to think that the voting age should be raised. Most of the 18-year-olds I've met don't strike me as any more politically-conscious than I am, I'll admit.

But there's a damn good chance it's because they're just as immature as I am, instead of the other way around.

[hollow_eyes]

There's a fair share of ignorant people voting in EVERY age group, because there is no required educational prerequisite to voting (as such would be mitigating the principles of democracy).

You can't shut out the voices of the intelligent simply because there are dumbasses mulling about. And besides, the average 16 yr old who isn't aware of canadian politics probably won't be inclined to vote for something they don't care about.

[some_young_guy]

Let us say, hypothetically, that 16 year olds can vote

[hollow_eyes]

Wait doesn't that kind of poo-poo every civil rights movement in history? I mean, the womans suffrage and the racial suffrage were movements to end descrimination and to earn equality as voting citizens of their state. I don't see how restricting people's rights to vote over something they can't control (age) isn't also a form of descrimination. When the government says that people under 18 are not allowed to vote, they are saying that we are somehow less than the regular citizens who are allowed to vote

[hoboxcore]

No, you're just whining.

Calling the plight of snotty-nosed brats, who, in large part, don't even want to vote (fuck, even I wouldn't vote in this upcoming election on that good ol' 23rd), equivalent to women's suffrage is absolutely ridiculous.

Suck it up, princess.

[hollow_eyes]

1) I never said it was equivalent, I said not allowing people to vote based on their age rather then their character is indeed DISCRIMINATION.

2) Plight of snotty nosed brats? What the fuck? This isn't even my plight, it's a discussion. God knows I know it's a distant reality IF that. Why you guys are getting so wound up over an opinion is beyond me. If you don't agree, say so, but defend your reasons with actual content rather then blasting off a bunch of meaningless insults that add nothing to this discussion, because frankly you're making yourself look like an idiot.

3) And your experience alone can determine whether or not all 16 yr olds are not interested in voting?

And FYI, whining pertains to complaining in a childish fashion. I've backed up my reasons and asked for your opinions, not a personal assault, I don't see how attempting to start and intelligent discussion is in any way whining.

[cadence_amend]

I've always thought that if we're thought of as responsible enough to drive ( which can concern the lives of many people ), we should be thought of as responsible enough to vote.