Now that the British government has vowed to lower its voting age to 16 by the next general election, one Canadian senator says it's past time for Canada to do the same.
There’s absolutely no argument denying youth the right to vote that wasn’t equally invalid when it was used against other groups. There are uncaring, naive, uninformed, and stupid people in every group, but denying the whole group is wrong. It’s also going to be inconsequential -teenagers make up a tiny fraction of the population. The main reason to do it is that voting young predicts lifetime engagement in the voting process - so limiting it is a bad idea for that reason alone.
I’ll go even further and say that anyone with the mental capacity to be able to follow the rules and instructions, maintain decorum in a polling station, and properly fill out a valid ballot should be allowed a voice in elections. That’s the same criteria we use for legal adults.
There’s absolutely no argument denying youth the right to vote that wasn’t equally invalid when it was used against other groups. There are uncaring, naive, uninformed, and stupid people in every group, but denying the whole group is wrong. It’s also going to be inconsequential -teenagers make up a tiny fraction of the population. The main reason to do it is that voting young predicts lifetime engagement in the voting process - so limiting it is a bad idea for that reason alone.
I’ll go even further and say that anyone with the mental capacity to be able to follow the rules and instructions, maintain decorum in a polling station, and properly fill out a valid ballot should be allowed a voice in elections. That’s the same criteria we use for legal adults.
They’re a tiny percentage and then how many of them will even vote, too? I agree. Let the few who care have a vote.