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Lowering the voting age

Peter

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c628ep4j5kno

So the labour party apparently believes that 16 and 17-year-olds are old enough to vote. But not old enough to:

  • Leave school
  • Hold down a full-time job
  • Buy a plastic knife
  • Play the lottery
  • Buy alcohol
  • Smoke
  • Sue someone in court without permission
  • Get married (in England and Wales)
  • Watch porn
  • Make porn
  • Go to war
  • Stand for parliament

Now in my mind voting is one of the most adult things you can do. You are taking responsibility for the running of the country (indirectly). So my question, and it is a serious question for debate, if 16 and 17-year-olds can be expected to vote what other adult things could they reasonably expect to do.

For the record I personally am in favour of reducing the voting age but I do think it produces important inconsistencies that should probably be addressed. At the very least you should be able to stand in the elections you are voting for. If a 16-year-old can vote for an MP they should be allowed to be an MP.

Parents

  • I'm surprised that so many people are against this to be honest. In my mind it's long overdue. I don't see much equivalence between a lot of the things on your list and being able to vote. A lot of the things are on that list to protect 16 yr olds from bad decisions and exploitation.

    I also don't think it follows that if you can vote for an MP you should therefore be able to stand as one. These are both completely different. In fact I would argue that the lower age limit for standing for election could be a bit higher.

    Those politicians opposed are playing up the list of things you can't do at 16 as being nonsensical if you are lowering the voting age. I think this is disingenuous and just a way of opposing a change that they don't think will benefit them, without actually addressing the change itself. Different things are allowed at different ages because those things are different. There is no sensible reason why we should have one single cut off age for everything.

Reply

  • I'm surprised that so many people are against this to be honest. In my mind it's long overdue. I don't see much equivalence between a lot of the things on your list and being able to vote. A lot of the things are on that list to protect 16 yr olds from bad decisions and exploitation.

    I also don't think it follows that if you can vote for an MP you should therefore be able to stand as one. These are both completely different. In fact I would argue that the lower age limit for standing for election could be a bit higher.

    Those politicians opposed are playing up the list of things you can't do at 16 as being nonsensical if you are lowering the voting age. I think this is disingenuous and just a way of opposing a change that they don't think will benefit them, without actually addressing the change itself. Different things are allowed at different ages because those things are different. There is no sensible reason why we should have one single cut off age for everything.

Children
  • in reply to McFrost

    I disagree. Imagine saying women can vote but not be MPs? (this used to be the case) You might say "OK but women have special interests and points of view that maybe are best represented in parliment by women" I think the same argument holds equally true for 16 year olds. Are 18 year olds not at danger of exploitation and making bad decisions? How many students do you think drop out of university every year because of bad deccisions?

    If I was 16 and went into my local supermarket and was told I couldn't buy a plastic knife I'd write to my MP and if I had the vote that MP would be silly not to listen. And the fact that an MP might tend to dismiss the opinion of a 16 year old voter is exactly why 16 year olds would also need to be able to stand in elections to fully have their voices heard.