I am looking forward to turning 16 soon. There are many things that you can suddenly do at 16, yet you still can't vote.

 

There are 1.5 million 16-17 year olds in the United Kingdom, and 200 000 of these are in London alone. That is approximately one in every 40 people. Younger people should have a larger voice in this country.

 

Many teenagers already read the news, and are starting to form, if they have not already, their own political views. In the 2019 General Election only 67% of electorates turned our to vote. The recent by-election in Old Bexley and Sidcup, east London December 2021, had a turnout of only 33.5%. A study by Common Sense Media shows that 78% of 13-17 year old teenagers say that it is improtant to follow current events. By following the news, they are likely to have formed a political view. This shows that enough teenagers are mature, that they have formed political views, which suggests that the voting age should be lowered to at least 16.

 

What is even more important is that teenagers are the future. In 20 years time, political changes will not affect the oldest segment of the voting comp as much as it will affect teenagers. 16-17 year old children should be allowed to decide how they want their future to be shaped, not have it decided by people who will have retired by then. By keeping the voting age as high as 16, there will not be too many immature voters. With 16-17 year olds having the right to vote, London, the United Kingdom, and even Planet Earth, would be very different; Brexit may not have happened, climate change would have certainly been dealt with quicker.

 

The age of 16 is a natural age to start voting. When you turn 16, many other rights are put in place, such as the right to have a job, the right to change your name and the right to have sexual intercourse. When you are aged between 16 and 17, you are not allowed to vote about jobs or name changes, but you can still have a job or change your name. It is illogical to have the right to something you cannot vote on. By lowering the voting age to 16, the voting age goes in line with other laws.

 

In conclusion, 16-17 year olds should be given the right to vote. If you are a child who has a view on this country and how the future should be built, I recommend that you share your view to others. As the former American President Herbert Hoover once said, "Older Men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die."