Have you ever felt that something so important, so strong, was simply not available? That’s right, so many teenagers are thinking about voting. As we all know, in order to vote for the president of the United States, you must be at least eighteen years old. This is because when you are eighteen, you is considered an adult and is considered mature. The age for voting should be reduced, because many people are mature enough to vote long before this age. Sixteen-year-olds should receive the rights that they deserve, including voting.
I believe that the voting age should be reduced to sixteen. Sixteen years can travel, work, and sometimes even pay taxes. Studies show that habits of voting are formed early in life, and those who do not vote at an early stage, will never be able to get used to. When it comes to maturity, researchers generally agree that the brain is still developing until the mid 20’s , with moral reasoning and abstract thoughts that appear later in the cycle than previously thought. Perhaps this should also be a question of real interest in this process for example, in military service (18 years or 17 years with parental consent) or writing a check to the government about paying your taxes. Or, how about allowing younger voters to pass the citizenship test as an incentive and qualifier, linking civic participation with civic education? “Because when children are in school, they are so interested, they are so busy.” Tell the teachers about this, whose students, according to polls, do not know who their prime minister is or how to amend the Constitution. Pelosi’s real enthusiasm is certainly more biased, as young people are often liberal until they begin to pay taxes and really have to deal with the government, which does not happen at 16.
Lowering the voting age is a new concept for many people, but there are many good reasons that show doing so is a strong and ethical choice. Maturity levels in teenagers are moderately rising due to our economy growing and more responsibility is granted to teenagers. Dropout rates have decreased. Young people are expected to maintain the law but have no say in making it. People who are under eighteen are expected to follow adult laws and meet adult consequences. Lowering the voting age can improve the lives of youth which will benefit the future of our region.A change in the municipal age of voting would require the provincial government to amend the Local Government Election Act, but other jurisdictions did. Scotland has lowered the voting age, so 16- and 17-year-olds can submit a ballot for the referendum on independence in 2014.
In New Brunswick, the opposition Green Party party introduced legislation to reduce the voting age to 16 years. But 16-year-old Grady James from Calgary says that many people who are his age can not think about their votes, they’ll just go into the box and vote randomly. “There’s going be kids who do their research and know exactly what they’re voting for, but most kids are more interested in the hockey game that’s going to go on tonight,” he said.
Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi also gave the news his side on the debate “It’s certainly not something I’m opposed to out front. I’d like to see how it would work, if anyone has done it anywhere. But if it helps engage and start people in the habit of civic engagement earlier in their life, that’s probably not a bad thing,” he said. “Don Davies, who represents British Vancouver Kingsway, introduced a private member bill in the House of Commons on Thursday. Bill C-213 will amend the Election Law in Canada to reduce the age of voting from 18 to 16 years – a change that he said” “will expand the franchise of this country.” “At one time only people could vote, only people with property,” he said.
“Women can not vote, First nations can not vote, but people should be 21 years old. “Young voters, Davis said, often work and pay taxes, but “have no idea how these tax dollars are spent.” The MP also proposed to lower the age of the vote in order to increase voter turnout, noting that studies show that those who vote at an early stage of the democratic process are more likely to continue the habit. “We know that voter turnout usually ranges from 50 to 65 percent,” he said. “This is an important initiative to attract young voters to our process.” BC. Liberal leader Mike de Jong, who issued a statement that 16-year-olds should not be able to vote in provincial elections “it is important to note that most 16-year-olds have never bought childcare for their children.
most never went to the palliative care unit and did not wait for weeks to see a specialist. Few people tried to start a business or even pay taxes, for that matter. “Politicians across canada argue about this topic on daily basis, but currently it seems like canada just isn’t ready for this kind of change due to 77 percent vote against it and only 23 percent that support it. In terms of implementation, the main advantage is that most 16 and 17-year-olds still live at home, which means that voter registration will be similar to registering their parents or can be performed in schools.
At the same time, Canada could return a version of the guaranteed, filmed in Bill C-23, so that teachers and principles could vouch for their students on Election Day.Reducing the voting age should not be seen as an easy decision, but rather as part of a broader initiative in partnership with other levels of government. For example, provincial governments should introduce and expand class time devoted to civil and political institutions, as a progress of youth, although compulsory education. With some creativity and low cost to schools, students could come to this class discussion not just abstract and unimportant, but as having direct relevance to the elections. Election day can be an exciting day in schools, where students see their peers and teachers publicly exercise their right to vote.
The lowering of the voting age would send young people a strong message that their opinion matters and that the electoral system does not fit against them. Fascinated by the possibility of obtaining additional votes, political candidates may be tempted to increase their presence in secondary schools and other places where young people often are. The result can be completely new spaces for political discussion and youth participation in public life. As the parties come to the opportunity to speak with a large and concentrated pool of voters, they can even include a more meaningful youth policy on their platforms.Supporters of votes of 16 argue that the age of voting should correspond to the age when citizens receive other adult rights.
If 16 and 17-year-olds can join the army, marry or pay tax, then why can not they vote? But these rights are not always realized at the age of 16, and the age of responsibility is increasingly delayed. Thus, the inverse problem is possible. We could start seeing young people in the state to vote before they can do other things.
They can freely vote at 16, but still need permission from their parents to marry or join the armed forces. This, in essence, will lead to a two-level citizenship, which will make young voters even more excluded.Voices at 16 may soon halt the reduction of election appearances, but they will not eliminate the problem of disuniting youth with politics. Parties need to do more to involve young people in the entire political process, or they can actually contribute to disengagement at an earlier age. Reducing the age of under disintegration to 16, without discussing its large-scale consequences, can prove to be a dangerous, rather than a radical step.
The brain does not develop completely up to 25 years. 16 year people are too young for people to fully understand their actions and consequences. Yes, admittedly, age is not everything, but it’s a good place to start imposing restrictions. The voting age was 21 years, and then was reduced to 18 only because 18 years of military service.Many helpful solutions may be offered to individuals that are 16 years old.
Before changing the voting age we should focus on teaching kids politics from young age so they can have their own personal view on the topic, rather then recalling their parents view on the election and who should be elected. Canada can also focus more on the youth and have more youth platforms when candidates run for prime ministers so the youth can have more interest on the individual and inverse their own thought on the platform. Many teenagers don’t care about politics for one reason, candidates don’t focus on the youth and their interests rather they focus on the older community because they know those are the ones who will be voting for them and not the teenagers.
For example when Justin Trudeau introduced the legalisation of marijuana platform many teenagers shared the news with their friends and on social media and that’s how he got so much attention, teenagers have lots of power on social media. If 16 years old want to change the voting age they should be ready for laws to be lowered as well, and many people would agree with that. Today lowering the voting age continues to have a wide range of support as well as disagreements. Nearly half of US states have seen legislative states to attempt and lower the age of voting to sixteen. Internationally 25 countries have lowered their voting age to sixteen. Sixteen-year-olds are mature enough to make important decisions such as voting. Their bodies are fully adult, they have been educated for at least ten years, and most of them have some experience of work as well as school. All this allows them to form political views and they should be allowed to put these at election time.
Canada has many support groups that are working on lowering our voting age, the main provinces that are said to lower their voting age to 16 are New Brunswick in the year of 2020 and PEI in the year of 2020. To help and support you can follow National Youth Rights Association and vote on this platform.
