[Politics] Votes for 16 year olds

[Is it PotG?]

Just because they are taxed if they buy some sweets, doesn’t merit them the right to vote as they are not mature enough to do so. Whereas, 16 year olds have greater independence and maturity and so should be able to vote on issues that directly affect them.

Your experience of 16 year olds is different to mine.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I’m in favour. People who aren’t politically switched on wouldn’t vote anyway. There are millions of completely uneducated, easily manipulated fools in this country that get to vote so why shouldn’t that right go to younger people whose lives are proportionally more affected by the results of said elections.

Age isnt the issue it's stupidity. I'd bring in a voting test, only when you have passed this can you go out and vote.

 

[Chicken Run]

Out of interest, do they pay university fees?

I assume so, they sorted their student loans themselves.

 

[BrightonCottager]

I’d rather 16 year olds had the vote than over 70’s.

This is my 18yo daughter's view. If that had been the case, Brexit probably wouldn't have happened. All my mum's friends who voted for Brexit have died.

 

[GJN1]

It's also not fair that a bunch 80 year olds with one foot in the grave get to vote over future generations.

See Brexit.

 

[GJN1]

I know Tories are up in arms about the idea of 16 year-olds voting but have they ever considered maybe introducing policies that appeal to them, rather than just making life harder for them and sucking up to OAPs all the time?

 

[Alwaysblue]

Age isnt the issue it's stupidity. I'd bring in a voting test, only when you have passed this can you go out and vote.

Exactly this, when boris won I had 4 colleagues vote for him 'cuase they liked his hair'

 

[A1X]

The word there is CAN.

I agree, IF they are working then they can vote. No job, no vote.

How wonderfully dystopian.

 

[A1X]

A 12 year old can earn over the threshold and pay income tax.

Should a 12 year old be able to vote?

If 16, why not 12, or 14?

https://www.thp.co.uk/children-aged-under-18-income-tax-national-insurance/#:~:text=Children%20aged%20under%2018%20and%20tax%20–%20Income%20Tax%20and%20National,and%20pay%20no%20income%20tax.

12 and 14 year olds don't pay National Insurance.

 

[GJN1]

It's gerrymandering.

If the demographic wasn't overwhelmingly going to vote more for Labour, they simply wouldn't propose it.

Dont mind Sir Keir generally, but this is nothing more than his plan to entrench himself in power.

Said it before, but why don't the Tories do something to appeal to younger people? See it as an opportunity.

Oh, that's right. They hate young people.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

I think votes at 12.

You’re in Year 7 so at a big school, you have independence and have learnt lots, you can also drink alcohol at home.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

12 and 14 year olds don't pay National Insurance.

Ah so we are judging votes on wealth now?

Should a poor person who doesn’t pay NI not be able to vote?

Maybe only rich people with land should be able to vote if we are basing voting off of wealth…

 

[Withdean11]

16-18 year old don't even know hat gender they are. It should be raised to 21.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I love the way this is considered worth doing, but reform of the voting system so that more people's votes actually influence the outcome is apparently "not a priority".

Just a few more people turning up who might as well stick their ballot paper up their arse as in the box for all the difference it makes.

 

[Withdean South Stand]

How many 5 year olds work? And how many 5 year olds serve in the army?

Depends if the Conservatives win this election or not!

 

[A1X]

Ah so we are judging votes on wealth now?

Should a poor person who doesn’t pay NI not be able to vote?

Maybe only rich people with land should be able to vote if we are basing voting off of wealth…

Only if you choose to base it on who is actually paying National Insurance (which isn't what I was arguing) rather than who is eligible to pay National Insurance, which is anyone over 16 (and which I was arguing).

 

[GJN1]

16-18 year old don't even know hat gender they are. It should be raised to 21.

They're probably better at writing though.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

12 and 14 year olds don't pay National Insurance.

Neither do those over retirement age.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

I understand that's one of Labour's ideas (sorry if there's already a thread on this, but I couldn't see one).

Personally I'm not in favour, based on the fact that they have such little adult life experience (some won't even have taken their GCSEs) and they haven't been exposed to the breadth of political discussion that most of us only got in our first few years at work or during 'free periods' in the 6th Form.

Also, is there any robust evidence that they really are, on the whole, 'left-leaning'? (which seems to be the rationale behind the suggestion).

The flip side is that 16 year olds never got a chance to vote in/out of Brexit which arguably had the biggest influence on their future life choices. For that reason alone I’m in favour of giving them the vote.

 

[Diablo]

Those begrudging over 80s the vote. They have long life experience and should surely be trusted more than 16year olds !!
I think 18 is right.