I do not believe that the voting age in America should be lowered to 16. Many 16-year-olds are still in high school and have not developed their own political ideology, meaning they wouldn’t have a good idea of what they are voting for. 16-year-olds also may not understand the full extent and long-term impact of their political decisions. Many teenagers would not take voting seriously, as they could base their decision on their friends or even cast a ballot as a joke. Many high school students have little to no knowledge of the economy, government policies, and foreign affairs that all factor into who they vote for. Other things like paying taxes, working full-time, and living on your own all happen after high school, making it more practical to keep the voting age at 18 when you are dealing with everyday adult responsibilities.
However, some may argue that the voting age should be moved down to 16 because in most cases, they can drive, work, and even pay some taxes. While this may be true, these responsibilities do not necessarily mean that they are ready to make important choices on complex political issues. Driving or even working a job is not the same as making decisions that affect the country as a whole. The voting age should remain at 18 when young adults are ready to take on the challenging choice of picking a leader.
