Since 1990s till now, some of the voted officials in the US states have tried to make unsuccessful attempts to lower the voting age to 16. After a shooting that has happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, student activism started to ask for their right to vote, and lowering the voting age to 16, enticing the debate’s outburst again, especially that the US is facing new elections in 2020. There are about 20 countries that already lowered the voting age to 16, but the US does not grant this right till the very present. Some people believe that lowering the voting age would benefit the country, while others believe that a 16 year old citizen will not be able to wisely vote for what he or she chooses.
Scientists who support the lowering of the voting age to 16 state that those 16 year olds have the same ability as older voters to make good voting choices, as they acknowledge the civics and laws of their country, have political skills that help them participate in choosing their representatives, and are learning about government and civics in schools. Citizens who support lowering the age also believe that this will increase the voter turnout, and make voting a habit for everyone in the future. It is believed that the 16 year olds have the right to vote because they should be granted the right to shape their future and choose their representation regarding problems they face, such as climate changes and school shootings.
On the other hand, the majority of the American citizens believe that 16 year olds should not be given the right to vote. According to a twitter poll, it was found that only 18% supported lowering the age to 16, while 77% were against. Citizens who are against the idea consider the 16 year olds as immature kids that do not have the right to participate in voting. The poll participators believe that these kids will be influenced by their parents’ decisions, deeming them not be more than minors who copy their parents’ voting choices.
There are counter arguments that refute the advantages of giving the right to 16 year olds to vote. There is a study that states that people aged from 18 to 24 have the lower voter turnout numbers; because they are not mature enough to know the importance of placing their opinion. It was stated that 42% of the US population participated in the 2014 midterm election, and only 12.5% of 18 year olds contributed in voting. It was also stated that throughout the past 30 years, voter attendance for 18 to 29 year olds has never beaten the 21% in a midterm election. So if citizens who are aged from 18 to 24 do not help in increasing the voter turnout, therefore the 16 year olds will not help in doing so; because they are not prepared to vote until later in life.
In conclusion, the debate of lowering the voting age to 16 is still under consideration, but there is still no action taken towards this yet. There are minor numbers of citizens who believe that lowering the voting age to 16 is necessary, because the supporters believe that 16 year olds reached a level of maturity that gives them the right to vote, and are facing threats that will affect their future, while the majority believes that 16 year olds are still immature enough to participate in voting. Moreover, the struggle would still persist as further progress is anticipated to deem the granting of the right to vote possible and convincing to the public.
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