Youth Should be Allowed to Vote

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorCollege, Undergraduate February 2008

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At the age sixteen, children are approved the chance to get behind the wheel of a car. With this opportunity comes more independence and responsibilities. Yet, sixteen-year-olds are still denied the right to vote. Adults are concerned that at the age sixteen kids are not mature enough and they do not realize what's best for them. Whilst sixteen-year-olds has compulsory education to train students in the study of citizenship. Education has much to do with civic responsibility. In my history class our teacher Mr. Duffin, simplified what makes a good government: "Religion, morality, and knowledge" are prerequisites to "good government" and thus, "schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged." All teenagers sixteen and above should be allowed to vote. The rationalization is that lowering the voting age will provide an intrinsic benefit to the lives of youth, with the intelligence of youth, youth can vote well and sixteen is a better age to introduce voting than eighteen.

By lowering the voting age may not improve the lives of youth, but by giving them a real stake in their futures and their present lives it will push them to become involved, active citizens of this country. With the voting age at 16 there is the opportunity for new voters have a greater opportunity to be educated voters as most are in high school. Lowering the voting age to 16 will give the vote to people who have roots in a community, have an appreciation for local issues, and will be more concerned about voting than those just two years older.

Granting youth the right to vote will have a direct effect on their character, intelligence and sense of responsibility. Is it any wonder why many youth feel apathetic towards politics? After 18 years of their life being...