I must admit that when the BC Liberal Leadership Race started, I didn’t think it would lead to a discussion of the voting age. Nor did I expect to find myself so annoyed by those who oppose the idea of lowering the voting age.
(Full Disclosure: I am a Christy Clark supporter)
I agree with Mike De Jong that we should lower the voting age. Habits formed when you are a teenager last you your entire life. If we can make voting a habit for young people, it will be a life long habit for them. I think it is an inspired idea to help improve voter engagement, especially if we improve the existing civics courses to go along with lowering the age.
Also, a 16 year old can hold a job, and pay taxes. How can we collect tax from a teenager but not allow them a vote on tax policy? Isn’t that taxation without representation?
But those aren’t the main reasons I think it is a good idea.
Our society has allowed the age at which we consider someone an “adult” to increase on a regular basis. Legally, a person is an “adult” at 18. But more and more I find that we think of people of college age as youth. Behaviour that we would never tolerate from an “adult” is dismissed because “they’re 21, they don’t know any better”.
But at the same time, we continue to allow 16 year olds to drive, to join the reserves, and to be charged as an adult for crimes.
It used to be that you were considered an adult, capable of accepting adult responsibilities, at 12. Many cultures still have a coming of age ritual for young people at 12 or 13. Robert Bly, in his book Iron John, suggests that the lack of this type of ritual in western cultures actually help contribute youth prolonging their “irresponsible” period.
I don’t think that we should be isolating our youth from responsibility in this country, I think we need to increase it. Responsibility teaches judgment. And our kids need all the judgement they can get. Let Youth drive. Let them start to make their own decisions. Make them get jobs, and pay for their own clothes, ipods and mobile phones. And let them vote.
The arguments against youth voting have been varied and ridiculous, in my opinion.
@ScottRintoul wrote “How about focusing on getting a voter turnout % that isn’t embarrassing before we lower the voting age. Just a thought.” Why would you deny an engaged, committed young person the right to vote because jaded middle aged people don’t bother? I just don’t understand this argument.
@gigageek0 wrote “No way, 16 year olds have no idea what is best for themselves.”, @shoooShee wrote “I think at 16, I don’t think they care enough about their future to make a vote as to who should govern” and @maddynorton wrote “Definitely too young, most 16 yr olds don’t have a knowledge or clear view of who or why they would be voting for someone”. Really? 1. I started my first business at 16. I think we underestimate the capabilities of 16 year olds. 2. How many adults know what is best for themselves? I know many, many adults whose lives are a complete mess, yet we let them vote! 3. If 16 year olds are so incapable of mapping their own course that we don’t allow them to vote, why the hell do we allow them to be charged as adults for crimes they may commit? They are old enough to make decisions between right and wrong on their own, but not to vote? Really?
@thekamloopian wrote “Although it would be nice to have more voters, 16 is too young. I wonder would teachers & schools be influencing votes then?” and @BCLobbyist wrote “Given how divorced from reality most teachers are, do we really want them influencing 16 and 17 year olds re voting?” This question of influence is perhaps the most irritating to me. 1. Adults aren’t influenced by others? What about the churches who tell their parishioners that a candidate is “God’s choice”? Don’t you think University Professors influence their students? But we let them vote! 2. If you have so little faith in teachers, then why do you even let your kids go to school? For many kids, teachers are the only responsible adult in their lives. Teachers are influential in forming a significant portion, if not most, of a child’s outlook on life. What makes you think that an 18 year old isn’t voting on the basis of opinions that a teacher helped form? Seriously, if teachers influence is a good reason for not allowing 16 year olds to vote, then we need to rethink the entire public education system.
Our politicians are constantly having to make decisions that will directly impact the future of our youth. The environment, economy and defence are just three areas where the decisions made today will potentially directly affect their lives, in some cases terminally. And this says nothing about education policy, of which they are the prime consumers! Why shouldn’t politicians be held accountable by those who will be inheriting results of their policy decisions? Why should an aging population be able to vote for short term comforts at the expense of long term problems without those most affected being at the table?
