Essay On Lowering The Voting Age

The voting age in America has always been an issue since the beginning of the country. At first, it started at 21 but many years later was lowered down to 18. In her article “Takoma Park 16-year old Savors His History Making Moment at the Polls” Annys Shin explains the viewpoints of lowering the voting age to 16. This would be a good policy to adopt because the current voting age minimum produces little voters, the age of 16 would be a more effective time to teach young adults about voting, and would over all increase political participation. This voting age of 18 is not an ideal time to learn and start practicing the act of voting. When the voting age was lowered down to 18 the idea of “young voters have been something of a bust. They typically go to the polls in much smaller numbers than their elders” (Shin). 18 year olds are notorious for their lack of participation. However, it can’t be helped that they are in a critical time in their lives when“ many of them are in the midst of leaving their childhood homes” (Shin). This is not the ideal age group of voters. At this time, many 18 year olds are starting to figure out their adult lives and voting is the last thing on their minds. They do not have time to go out and vote when they have to start

This age allows teens to learn the importance of voting and how to vote before life becomes busy. In a report from Denmark it is reported that “younger teenagers are more likely to cast a ballot then their slightly older peers” (Shin). This piece of information proves that younger voters than 18 are more willing to participate than the set standard. This time is the sweet spot to encourage young adults to vote. 16 year olds have much more time on their hands and less worries on their mind. When they reach adulthood they’ll have the basic understanding of voting so they are not scrambling to learn the process with their changing