Why the voting age should be lowered to 16
January 12, 2017
Political socialization, or the process by which people form political opinions, starts at a young age. By the time most people are sixteen, they have already been exposed to the political system through family, media, and education. In high schools like Whitney Young, students are encouraged to keep up with politics and current events through classes and student organizations, and have the resources and motivation to make an informed decision. Lowering the voting age would therefore increase both knowledge and interest in the American political system. “I know at age 16, I was probably equally, if not more, informed about political issues than most adults I knew,” said Rachel Weaver ‘17. A Routledge study recently backed this up, providing evidence showing that the younger a person is when they cast their first vote the more likely they are to develop voting as a habit.
In many cases, 16 year olds are treated as though they are adults. They would be charged as an adult for any serious crime but if they wanted to vote, the answer would be a resounding “no.” How can we treat teens like mature, responsible adults some of the time but not others? This is a double standard. Youth pay taxes if they work a part-time job, they are equally impacted by elected officials and the policies they enact as adults are, therefore they should have the right to vote. Many students at Whitney Young feel the same way. George Vassilatos ‘17 considered, “If we let people who won’t live to see the next election exert a lasting influence on the economy, why do we systematically deny those who will experience the effects of those elections from giving their input?” If 16 year olds are just as informed, pay taxes, equally as impacted by the results of elections, why shouldn’t they be allowed to use their voice in elections?
This idea is not radical- in fact, it is tried and true. In Takoma Park, Maryland, the city government lowered the voting age to 16 and the very next election the 16-17 year old turn out not only exceeded the average turnout but quadrupled it. This extends internationally, as well. Over 75% of Scottish sixteen and seventeen year olds voted in the most recent election. Compare this to the United states, where only 46% of eligible millennials chose to vote.The same trend of high 16-17 year old turnout is consistent across other countries that ratify this idea- among those with significantly high teenage turnout as a result of lowering the voting age are two Austrian districts, Vienna and Krems, and in Norway. The evidence shows that lowering the age to 16 is successful in integrating the youth into the political system. Recently, an effort spearheaded by Illinois Congressman Will Guzzardi (R-39th) has been gaining ground to lower the voting age in Chicago to 16 as well.
America should lower its voting age to 16 so teenagers are more integrated into the government systems. Americans at the age of 16 are being affected by the elections just as much as their peers who are only two years older than them. And by lowering the voting age, teens will become more interested in and well informed about politics, helping them to be more active in their role as citizens. Allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote will encourage people of all ages to exercise their right to vote and has been proven to form more consistent voting habits. You can help to promote this adjustment by supporting the Chicago Congressman’s movement and raising awareness about the benefits of changing the voting age.
