We should raise the voting age to 21

[Cruella]

If you're going to draft an 18 year old, you have to give him the vote.

I agree with that to a point. There are a lot of adults that are too stupid to vote. I see voting as a responsibility, and that means having a well reasoned understanding of what your voting for or against.

 

[pwarbi]

With the turnout at the elections we get over here in the UK, we'd probably be better off lowering the vote to 12years old. Might be able to get above 66% actually bothering then...

 

[Salami]

No. I don't believe they should raise the voting age but I do believe you should have to pass a "real" civics test and attend at least 1 year of constitutional classes in school before you CAN vote. So many people in this nation (virtually ALL!) preach about their constitutional "rights" and never mention or even think about their constitutional "responsibilities" I laugh at these fools who believe we as private citizens are not bound by the constitution, that it was made only to hold the government in check. Fools. You ARE the government! The only legitimate government. We live in a Republic which is ran as a representational Democracy. We act as government by voting in representatives. And by doing so that makes us a part of government and bound by constitutional rule of law. Corporations too since they were ruled to be people. Can't have rights without recognizing the responsibilities as well folks.

 

[Salami]

With the turnout at the elections we get over here in the UK, we'd probably be better off lowering the vote to 12years old. Might be able to get above 66% actually bothering then...

Put something in front of the people they want to vote for and they will vote. A lessening of voters is a strong indication that those not participating are not happy with ANY choice.

 

[pwarbi]

I agree that people need an incentive to vote. If all the candidates are saying more or less the same, and none of it will have any impact on your life, then it's easy to see why people don't bother.

But the only way to change that is to actually vote in the first place. It won't happen overnight but eventually politicians might start to wake up?

 

[Jason76]

While it's that young men dying for thier country, should be able to vote, a lot of people don't really gain wisdom until their 30s or later. But then again, maybe soldiers develop wisdom earlier than other people, especially if they have been in combat.

Anyhow, I just don't think the post teenage mind is ready for voting.

 

[paf_2]

Well, in some ways there is a valid argument here. After all, the legal drinking age is 21. Yet at the age of eighteen an individual is given the right to vote, and they are allowed to serve in the military. They are as others pointed out tried as an adult as well. But when it comes to drinking you have to be 21 in order to go into a bar. So, which is it, are you an adult at 18 or 21, does seem be sort of a double standard going on when you think about it.

 

[LilAnn]

In don't think it's right unless, like mentioned above, you can't draft them at 18, you can't try them as an adult at 18, and you make potential voters take an iq test if theybwant to vote, since there are a lot of people who are 21 and older and just as immature as a typical 18 yr old