I believe that the voting age should be lowered to 16 because many teenagers carry various responsibilities but lack a voice in the government. The article describes that 16-17-year-olds can drive, work jobs, pay taxes, and even make legal decisions such as applying for a passport. Additionally, they are directly affected by issues including school budgets, climate change, and local policies such as cell phone bans in school. If people are old enough to take on adult-like responsibilities and face the consequences of others’ political decisions, they should also be given the right to vote. Additionally, it is argued that lowering the voting age can create lifelong voting habits, similar to when the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
However, some critics believe that teenagers are not mature enough, and social media and their parents have a strong influence on their beliefs. However, this article demonstrates that young people are not the only ones affected by these factors. Anya Kleiman, a 16-year-old organizer, emphasized that many college students are not “mature enough” either, yet they are still allowed to vote (Kleiman). Additionally, Daniel Hart, a Rutgers psychology professor, highlighted that 16 and 17-year-olds are “entirely capable” of voting rationally (Hart). Viewing 16-17-year-olds through stereotypes of immaturity and not giving them the chance to vote is unfair, especially when political choices made by others shape their daily lives.
