lowering the voting age (synthesis) (1)
Let me start this by saying, yes, of course I am biased because I am sixteen. However, that also means I know more about how young people think than the people who run our country who are removed from their youth.
With the rise of social media, many seem to think that teens have become more blind to the world and selfish. We’re self absorbed, unaware, arrogant, and make rash decisions. The last claim is the main argument against granting us the privilege to vote. However, the skills involved in cold cognition, which is decision making in a nonthreatening, calm environment, like voting, are “firmly in place by 16” (Steinberg). Not only are teenagers actually able to make rational decisions at 16, but they can make informed decisions. This can be another side effect of social media, as I find that my peers are actually aware of the political world around them. This is proven as “research from the Austrian and Scottish experiences suggests that 16- and 17- year olds are as engaged and interested in politics and make voting decisions as well as older voters” (Dahlgaard). While, many are hyper-aware, which has made my generation anxious and pessimistic, this just proves that we do know more about the world than just ourselves (Stillman). Shocker.
Although major problems do not exist about guaranteeing young people the vote, there are benefits, the main one of which is increased voter turnout. It’s no secret that the US is behind most other developed countries in voter turnout, with only 55.7% of the adult population voting (Desilver). Lowering the voting age would help the US fill this gap. “Voter turnout among 16- and 17- year olds is significantly higher than it is among older young adults” and “there is evidence that people who don’t vote the first time they are eligible are less likely to vote regularly in the future” (Steinberg). This shows that if 16 and 17- year olds are allowed to vote, it will lead to future higher rates of turnout for those teens. Additionally, this higher turnout will not just be for those teens, because “when young people vote, their parents are more likely to vote, too” (Dahlgaard). In this sense, voting becomes a family outing. If the teen in the family is engaged in civics, this will bring awareness to their parents, and encourage them to vote too.
Ultimately, we should lower the voting age to 16 because current teens are just as politically involved as adults, but also to increase voter turnout.
Dahlgaard, Jens Olav https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/02/28/the-surprising-consequence-of-lowering-the-voting-age/?utm_term=.73f9c74a44da
Desilver, Drew http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/05/21/u-s-voter-turnout-trails-most-developed-countries/
Steinberg, Lauren https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/opinion/sunday/voting-age-school-shootings.html
Stillman, Jessica https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/gen-z-is-anxious-distrustful-and-often-downright-miserable-new-poll-reveals.html
