After the referendum,should 16yo get the vote ?

[Jimmy Come Lately]

I can only think back to when I was 16. I knew **** all about politics or about life and nor did my friends. 16 years olds are still kids, except they are kids that think they are adults. Of course they shouldn't be able to vote on important issues.

Or perhaps if you and your friends had been given the chance to vote, you would have taken more of an interest in politics.

I like the idea of teenagers getting their first opportunity to vote while they're still at school, and can be given guidance in things like: how the democratic process works; how to read a party manifesto; what key marginals, floating voters and tactical voting are. Ideally they should be learning all of this stuff anyway but it's much more visceral when it applies to how you cast your own vote. The lucky ones will get to experience a general election but it should work for local or Euro elections to a lesser extent.

Get them in the habit of voting somehow. The spiral of voter apathy needs to be broken, and if the Scottish referendum has achieved nothing else it has shown that this can be done as long as the result matters and people believe that their vote counts.

 

[grawhite]

Only if you are working, unemployed or students no, look at what those fools did to get the greens in power.

 

[janee]

With age hopefully comes maturity and a more logical mind. Hence most of the Yes votes in Scotland were reported to have come from the young. When this comes up again in 20 years time they will all be older and likely to vote No.

Or just set in your ways and anti risk

 

[fat old seagull]

younger might apply, but the polling showed 16-17 yo where 55-60% No voters.

The source of that info, flying in the face of the BBC's assessment that up to 70% of under 18s voted YES was what ?

 

[Biancazzurro]

Interesting that some of you think those who don't work shouldn't be allowed to vote - what about the retired? Or someone who can't work due to disability? Should they be allowed to?

At 16 I knew far more about politics than I do now, I was studying it full time at college. Now with work and family taking my attention I barely know what any of the parties stand for.

I agree that compulsory voting would be interesting. As long as there is a none of the above option and you can vote by post. I find it disgusting that people don't vote. When so many proud Britons have died fighting for our democratic freedoms we owe it to them to vote.

 

[drew]

Or perhaps if you and your friends had been given the chance to vote you would have taken more of an interest in politics.

I like the idea of teenagers getting their first opportunity to vote while they're still at school, and can be given guidance in things like: how the democratic process works; how to read a party manifesto; what key marginals, floating voters and tactical voting are. Ideally they should be learning all of this stuff anyway but it's much more visceral when it applies to how you cast your own vote. The lucky ones will get to experience a general election but it should work for local or Euro elections to a lesser extent.

Get them in the habit of voting somehow. The spiral of voter apathy needs to be broken, and if the Scottish referendum has achieved nothing else it has shown that this can be done as long as the result matters and people believe that their vote counts.

Have to say I have voted in every general election since I was old enough and have never read a party manifesto. What exactly is the point? The major policy issues are discussed in all sorts of different media and at the end of the day, they don't necessarily stick to their manifesto anyway. Take the last election; no top down reorganisation of the NHS and that was the first thing the Tories did. No increase in Uni fees the Libdems pledged!

I do agree that some of the other elements should be talked about but not sure that in itself warrants giving the vote to 16 year olds.

As for voter apathy, I doubt that the turn out for the referendum will have much effect on turnout next May, even in Scotland.

 

[Hugo Rune]

The source of that info, flying in the face of the BBC's assessment that up to 70% of under 18s voted YES was what ?

I saw that stat from the BBC and wondered where on earth the poster got his info from? Channel 5?

The yes vote was all about naivety, emotion & idealism. For many as they grow older, these two traits lessen (sadly). Let the youth vote but expect them to follow left wing idealism till they grow up.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Perhaps you are a perfect example of people who are desperate to prove your superiority over others and thus have the right to select who can vote and who can't?

No superiority here, just years of experience of the workplace, paying taxes and utility bills, putting food on the table and keeping a roof over my head and I pay for varying kinds of insurance. I am responsible for myself and have learnt many life lessons from being so.

The average 16 year old? Still in full time education, willingly or not, lives with parents without any cost, their only knowledge of paying bills MIGHT be their mobile phone, gets dropped off and picked by parents when going out, basically they rely on older people to provide for them, be it money, food, lodgings, transport or education.

I realise that at some point this judgement has to change, but at least wait until young people have had some kind of responsibility. Perhaps when a majority have had to make a life changing choice, university, a job, leaving home possibly, funnily enough 18 might be a good benchmark.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

No superiority here, just years of experience of the workplace, paying taxes and utility bills, putting food on the table and keeping a roof over my head and I pay for varying kinds of insurance. I am responsible for myself and have learnt many life lessons from being so.

The average 16 year old? Still in full time education, willingly or not, lives with parents without any cost, their only knowledge of paying bills MIGHT be their mobile phone, gets dropped off and picked by parents when going out, basically they rely on older people to provide for them, be it money, food, lodgings, transport or education.

I realise that at some point this judgement has to change, but at least wait until young people have had some kind of responsibility. Perhaps when a majority have had to make a life changing choice, university, a job, leaving home possibly, funnily enough 18 might be a good benchmark.

I know a 22 year old who lives with their parents. I doubt they pay for food, insurance, bills etc. Should they be allowed to vote?

Oh, they also have a first class degree in politics, but I guess that's immaterial if they don't pay bills.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

I can only think back to when I was 16. I knew **** all about politics or about life and nor did my friends. 16 years olds are still kids, except they are kids that think they are adults. Of course they shouldn't be able to vote on important issues.

Like most adults know F all..?

 

[Ruffy]

I feel 18 is a good age. Already we have 18 to vote, buy alcohol and cigarettes (legally), get married without parents consent. Its the age of adulthood. (I also feel, to even things up, being able to possess a full driving licence should be at age 18 but learning from 16 to increase safety, but thats a different subject)

You cannot discriminate against if or if not a 16 year old is working and paying tax. Should we exclude the people over 18 on jsa, street drinkers, drug addicts who burgle and shoplift etc etc as well (although the majority of the above, given, won't turn up anyway from my experience)

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I can only think back to when I was 16. I knew **** all about politics or about life and nor did my friends. 16 years olds are still kids, except they are kids that think they are adults. Of course they shouldn't be able to vote on important issues.

Then I would suggest that if at 16 you could of voted you probably would have not done so. That doesn't mean all 16 years olds are incapable of engaging with politics.

 

[Husty]

With age hopefully comes maturity and a more logical mind.

Obviously not in your case though eh.

Typical old person who is no longer relevant to society and wont be involved in it's future but still wants to dictate what that is.

 

[Bob!]

No too immature and easily lead in the majority of cases. They will believe what suits them even if it is not practical.

You're right of course. We should ban people from voting until they reach pension age because pensioners won't believe & vote in what suits them.


oh.

 

[countryman]

When I was sixteen I spoke to a few of my friends about politics and could have a good conversation about it. But I couldn't have had that conversation with most of my friends but those ones probably wouldn't have voted even if they could. And there are plenty of adults who have no knowledge of politics and they are probably the ones that don't vote aswell.

 

[Blue3]

Yes. For the following reasons :

1. There's plenty of adults of many more years in age that have less of a clue about politics than 16 year olds.
2. With fixed 5 year parliaments it's wrong that someone could be 21 years old before they can vote.
3. You can die for your country at 18 and join the armed forces at 16.

I agree will all these but would add a 5.political engagement got to get kids early by the age of 21 in this day and age they have moved on

 

[jackanada]

I moved from extreme left to extreme right in a couple of years. I am now slightly left of centre.

I wouldn't be sure you have moved, more like the entire political landscape has moved. I listened to Norman Tebbit on the radio recently and he seemed like a compassionate liberal sort of chap compared to the current mob.

Anyhow once TTIP goes through we will have truly surrendered ourselves to corporate interests and our votes wont count for shit.

 

[bennibenj]

Something to compare it against - at 16 you can legally have sex and there for legally bring a child into the world.

On the flip side, should you at 16 make a porno - if its then certified, you wouldn't be able to watch the film your in until your 18.

If you can bring a life into the world at 16 - you should be able to vote