VOTING AGE SHOULD BE LOWERED
Gabriel Santos, Opinion Columnist
In the U.S., you must be 18 in order to vote, whether that be for your mayor, your governor or the president. However, I believe the voting age should be lowered to 16 to allow for younger perspectives.
The voting age has been 18 since 1971, when it was lowered from 21 as part of the 26th Amendment’s ratification. The movement for a lowered voting age came when 18-year-olds were drafted to Vietnam. It didn’t make sense for 18-year-olds to fight for their country but not have a say in their own country’s democracy.
I venture to say there’s a similar debate going on in our country now.
The running joke of the last two presidential administrations has been age. Former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump are the two oldest presidents in American history. Some argued their age left them out of touch with Americans aged between 18 and 29, leading to a large sum of younger Americans feeling underrepresented.
For citizens younger than 18, it’s a stretch to assume they feel represented, given that they have no means to represent themselves.
The political responsibility of voting could be a positive for teens at large. It would offer teens early expertise in election voting and allow their voices to be heard, which would lead to a more effective political system in the U.S..
A little over 60% of Americans of voting age participated in the 2024 election, and while it is the majority, it is far from the vast majority. Offering 16-year-olds participation in American politics earlier would mean more representation in future elections.
Moreover, it would allow teens to vote on issues that affect them firsthand. With school shootings becoming increasingly common in the U.S., it doesn’t make sense for high schoolers to be closed out of the debate surrounding gun control. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens, and yet they have no say in gun control policies.
Overall, if the voting age were lowered to 16 it would have more positive effects than negative. Teens deserve to vote because the people in the government affect their lives too.
VOTING AGE SHOULD NOT BE LOWERED
By: Emily Beebe, Assistant Opinion Editor
The voting age shouldn’t be lowered because voting requires maturity and civic knowledge that teenagers either don’t know or haven’t yet developed.
There have been various examples of regions lowering the voting age. For example, Greenbelt, Maryland, and Oakland, California, have lowered their voting age to 16 for local elections, according to the National Youth Rights Association.
In 2018, there was even a resolution in which an amendment was proposed at the federal level to extend voting to people ages 16 or older. However, the resolution was referred to the House Committee on the judiciary and never went any further than that.
Teenagers may be susceptible to peer pressure, whether from their friends or family who may persuade them to vote a certain way. In addition, social media plays a huge role in how teenagers learn about elections and political issues.
During the 2024 election cycle, 77% of youth chose at least one social media platform to consume their news. Social media, especially when it comes to political news, may contain misinformation and makes it hard for teenagers to discern real from fake news.
Moreover, if we allow 16-year-olds to vote, it raises the question of lowering the age for other adult responsibilities. The voting age should remain consistent with other adult responsibilities such as joining the military or jury duty.
Overall, the right to vote is our civic duty as Americans, especially in the chaotic political environment we are currently experiencing . However, voting should be tied to adulthood. Lowering the voting age risks poor electoral decision making along with underdeveloped judgment.
Instead of lowering the voting age, society should focus on and encourage teenagers to participate in the community through community service and giving back. In addition, society should expand voter education. Instead of having teenagers vote at a younger age, we can all play our part in expanding voter education and preparing teenagers to vote wisely when they turn into an adult.
