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Voting age should stay 18
Is voting for young people? by Martin P. Wattenberg
Reasons why government should not reduce the voting age
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Recommended: Voting age should stay 18
In my opinion, the current voting age of 18 should be kept. I say this because of many reasons, which are listed in the passage titled "Keep the Voting Age 18." The passage "Lower the Voting Age" contradicts the idea that the age 18 should be kept as the voting age. In the passage "Keep the voting age 18," the author states many supporting details backing up the claim that the voting age should be kept at 18. The pasage states "Most younger voters do not bother toi vote at all. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report, only 38% of voters in the 18-24 age group voted in 2012." This supports the fact that most younger people do not feel the need to vote. The passage then goes on further to continue backing up the authors claim that
... equal system. The lower age could also encourage and interest youth much more in political processes and parties as now they would actually be able to impact the way they are governed and who is governing them. Politics would be much more noticeable in schools and the general knowledge of politics and the political process would drastically increase. The youth would also be more likely to develop earlier the skills and potentials needed in later life politically and even socially. In conclusion when all is said and done I, personally would like to say the voting age lowered to sixteen for many of the reasons above. There will be many people opposing this movement but I think it is time for the youth of Canada to be heard and if they wish they should have the opportunity to vote and express their opinions and choices.
It’s very unsettling to know that there was a six percent decrease in young voters (ages 18-29) in the 2012 election compared to 2008 (Circle Youth data). In 2007 the National Conference of State Legislatures publicly released a report and data set on voter turnout in democratic countries. This is a quote from that report titled Getting out the Vote, “It should be noted that in 1972, 18-year-olds were added to the eligible voting population, thus decreasing the percentages. Nonetheless, voter tu...
In “You’re 16, You’re Beautiful and You’re a Voter,” author Anya Kamenetz states her belief that the voting age should be lowered to sixteen. Kamenetz gives several premises to her argument.
Considering the delegates that are currently running for office, a voter should have a vast level of understanding regarding the intentions of each and every candidate. Arguing whether to raise or lower the age limit for the right to vote has raised many speculations as to how it would affect the economy. There are pros and cons within both sides of the argument, but any decisions made by the powers that be will have an adverse effect on today’s society if it is placed in the hands of the younger generation. Therefore, raising the voting age to twenty-one is a better way of making sure that voters are more aware and would be more equipped to making a more sound decision rather than lowering
As of the ratification of the 26th amendment in 1971, the voting age in the US is 18. As I turn 18 this coming summer I now have the chance to participate in elections local, state, and national wide. The history of youth voting has changed over time with that more 18-24 year olds are voting as time goes on. The question comes to mind about voting in that why would someone want to vote and if it’s just a waste of time. I believe that if people have the chance to vote, then they should which is why I am going to vote in elections to come in the future.
The age at which one is eligible to vote has been a source of heated discussions and debates. Should the voting age be lowered? Should it remain at age 18?
Pam Belluck discusses and strongly criticizes voting age in her article " Sixteen Candles, but Few Blazing a Trail to the Ballot Box". She starts by referring to a day of a regular sixteen year old girl, who was preparing for a musical, then going out to eat with her boyfriend and last visiting the polls to vote. With the use of this type of claims and a very sarcastic tone throughout her writing, Belluck develops her position, arguing that young voters “lack of competence, maturity and experience”(par. 6) and for this reasons they are not prepared to vote properly. During her argument she exposes different opinions in this controversial manner of voting, describing the actions of supporters that believe that the young generations should be
Today in America, less than half of young voters between the ages of 18 and 24 vote (TheBestColleges.org). What most of these new adults fail to realize, is that their government depends on them to vote and elect new leaders to represent their country. Many of them make excuses to avoid voting, when really, they benefit most from voting.
In Carrie Kirby's article "Why Students Want to Lower the Voting Age" published in the October 7th, 2015 edition of The Atlantic, Kirby looks into the arguments being made by student activists in San Francisco who are trying to lower the voting age to 16. She begins by mentioning Oliver York, a 16-year old who has an answer to practically any question one could raise about allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote. York argues that this case is similar to those which occurred in the early 1900s in the fight for women's suffrage, any how many had dismissed the thought because they would "just vote the way [their] husbands would vote." Jillian Wu, another 16-year old, points out that 44% of Scottish teens voted differently than their parents during
According to The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) there are five main reasons why young people don’t vote. The graph they presented uses census survey data from 2010 for citizens 18-24. The graph was broken down into two groups, those who are and are not in college. The first reason cited was being away from home or out of town, 23% of college students stated this and only 5% of people not in college stated this. 8% of college students said they forgot to vote, and over 12% of those not in college said they forgot to vote or send in a ballot. For students in college, 12% versus 19% of those not in college said that the reason they did not vote is because they were not interested or felt their vote did not count. Another reason for not voting was being too busy or stating that voting conflicted with work for 35% of college students and 30% of those not in colleges. Lastly “other reasons” to not vote was listed as the number one category in those not in college at 33% and 21% for those in college.
Additionally, voter turnout today is the greatest puzzle among American voting behaviors. Similarly, Congress decided to propose and the states ratified the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. In turn, younger age males are less likely to vote in elections and this was the reason of reduced national turnout rates. Consequently, attitudes towards politics in general can also be a reason for the decline of voters. Identically, voters beliefs are that government choose to ignore citizens, that there are too many politicians, and that the campaigns are extremely long. Still, voter turnout will only increase if the government decides to do something to restore our fate in the political system. Moreover, voters feel a burden
I think that the legal age of voting should be age 21 and older because when they are at least 21 they are able to make good decisions and choose which one would be the best President. When they are at age 21 they are at the drinking age legally. And that means that they can make big decisions and be responsible and they should be the ones to be to vote.
Based on the statistics, it is implied that even at a legal age, these young adults are not even interested in voting, so why would the voting age limit be decreased? It is not related to the voting percentage at all because there are other things to give focus more. In the second article, although the elderly can influence the voter turnout more based on percentage, if the government can influence more of the young adults to vote, then there would be more voters. The voter turnout is not the focus here, rather how can each and everyone be made to vote. The age limit must not be moved simply because the government should focus more on two things: educating the young people with their power to vote and making voting for other people
“If you can die for your country, get married, and pay taxes you should have the right to indicate your feelings towards the government.” Lowering the voting age is good for these three reasons.
There is a discussion going around about whether the voting age should be kept 18, or if it should be changed to 16. On one side, people argue that "having younger voters is crucial at a time of an aging voting population and low voter turnout". However the opposite states that "lowering the voting age would decrease the percentage of participation". I believe that lowering the voting age would not be beneficial, however we should focus on raising the percentage of young people that vote.