The Voting Age Should Be Dropped to 16

Young people today are well informed enough and mature enough to vote so the voting age should be lowered.

Thank you for starting this debate and good luck. :)

"Young people today are well informed enough and mature enough to vote so the voting age should be lowered."

Not necessarily. Actually, I would go against this. How are they informed? Most may have a job, but not one that they have to depend on for money in order to live. They do not own a house, have children, or maybe not even have a car! They do not understand how the "real world" works and therefore do not have the right to vote. Most are not concerned or involved in taxes and house mortgage and this is what most of the candidates focus on.

Teenagers' brains are still developing. I will also mention how many stupid decisions 16 year olds make. I am certainly not saying all, but many do. Should these children who are still living with their parents, who do not own a house, are not involved much in the economy, and are just learning to drive really need to have a say in the government?

The voting age now is certainly not causing anybody harm and is working our just fine. Also, I will mention how most of the 16 year olds would be biased due to their parents' opinions.

Thanks for accepting this debate and I apologize ahead of time for late responses but its been a long busy week! I will try to reply to some of your arguments briefly.

"How are they informed?"

The same way the average voter is informed...through the media; television, newspapers, magazines and the internet. Schools are doing a better job of making young people aware of current political events as well. Many even hold mock voting on election day for the kids to participate in.

"Most may have a job, but not one that they have to depend on for money in order to live. They do not own a house, have children, or maybe not even have a car!"

A job, house, children and car are not perequisites for voting. There are many Americans past the age 18 who live at home with their parents and do not own cars yet vote. Also those few who do work have to pay taxes too so should have a vote on tax issues.

"Teenagers' brains are still developing. I will also mention how many stupid decisions 16 year olds make."

People over the age of 16 make stupid mistakes every day. As far as teenagers' brains still developing, there are alot of us who have brains that are deteriorating yet they still let us vote.

"Also, I will mention how most of the 16 year olds would be biased due to their parents' opinions."

If they pick their president the same way they choose their music and movies, I seriously doubt that they are going to automatically vote like their parents.

The federal Voting Rights Acts of 1965 (42 U.S.C. � 1971(c)) states that: "any person who has not been adjudged an incompetent and who has completed the sixth grade in a public school in, or a private school accredited by, any State or territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico where instruction is carried on predominantly in the English language, possesses sufficient literacy, comprehension, and intelligence to vote in any election.

So if a 6th grade education is adequate for voting purposes, certainly the high school education most 16 year-olds possess would be more than enough to produce an informed voter.

"The same way the average voter is informed...through the media; television, newspapers, magazines and the internet. Schools are doing a better job of making young people aware of current political events as well. Many even hold mock voting on Election Day for the kids to participate in."

The average voter has a job, children, is married, owns a home and a car, and makes monthly payments. Also, the majority of voters are out of school. Schools may be doing a better job, but these 16 year olds do not own a home and therefore do not relate to the candidate's economical view, and therefore do not really have an opinion because they are not active in a job that needs to support him/her, gas prices, the housing market, etc. If you are not involved in it, you do not need to vote. It would be the same thing as me voting for the driving age to be lowered in Alaska. Many voters for this year's election are more concerned with the economy than the war.

"A job, house, children and car are not prerequisites for voting. There are many Americans past the age 18 who live at home with their parents and do not own cars yet vote. Also those few who do work have to pay taxes too so should have a vote on tax issues."

No, they are not required for voting, but are a key in the economy. Although not all 18 year olds have a car or own a house, many more do than 16 year olds. Also, they are probably in college or getting ready to, and therefore don't depend on their parents as much. 18 year olds are also more grown up and mature. How many 16 year olds do you know that own a home or pay taxes or need the job to buy groceries and make payments. Not many. Many states are about to change the driving age to 17 years of age, in hopes of cutting down on accidents. If 16 year olds are barely able to have driving rights, do we really need to give them rights to who is in charge of our country?

"If they pick their president the same way they choose their music and movies, I seriously doubt that they are going to automatically vote like their parents."

Presidential candidates are not music. In some way, the child will probably be influenced by their parent's choices whether for or against it. In some way, their will be biased. Therefore, you will get a majority of votes that are due to the 16 year olds' parent's opinions and choices.

"So if a 6th grade education is adequate for voting purposes, certainly the high school education most 16 year-olds possess would be more than enough to produce an informed voter."

Then why is it illegal? They may have the intelligence, but not the experience. In order to really connect or relate to what the candidates focus on, you need to be involved in the things, and have experience.

Most 16 year olds are not mature enough to make such a huge decision. They are too young, too immature, and not experienced enough. I am certainly not talking about each individual, but as a whole, this is a good description of the age group.