A sixteen year-old can get a job, apply for a driving licence,have sex, be part of the armed forces but why is it that voting seems to be eradicated from the things that they can do ?

 

It is fair to say that by giving 16 year olds the ability to vote it means that they are involved with greater interest and awareness into the world of politics.The EU itself proved to be a major 'catastrophic event' for some youths. By becoming more politically aware from a younger age, may just aswell lead to involvement for political change.

 

At the age of 16 , people are most likely to participate in clubs, sports or group discussions. Likewise, the ability to vote at a younger age is likely to empower the youth to make decisions that will potentially affect not only their lives but the future of others.However, it cannot be said that all 16 year olds can make votes on valid reasoning. The statistics show that actually 18 to 24 year olds have the lowest turnouts compared to the other age groups when it comes to elections. One could argue that it is due to the lack of guidance and mention of politics at a younger age that doesn't motivate a young adult to vote. Nevertheless, how can there be a difference by allowing 16 year olds to allow to vote? A 17 year-old girl mentioned how she thinks “the voting age should be lowered to 16 and how they deserve to have a say in what happens in our country”.

 

There seems to be different views expressed amongst young people. In particular, in schools where there have been discussions such as Trump’s presidency and the UK’s snap election. Wouldn’t now be a great start for young people to grasp on to the ability to vote? For instance, Brexit seems to be an issue for the young people made by the potentially older individuals. By having 16 year-olds vote, it is giving them the responsibility to be part of a community where their voice can be heard instead of being ignored.

 

Milcka Berhane, Gumley House Convent School