I believe the voting age should be lowered to 16 or 17 years old. Around this age, teenagers gain adult responsibilities. They work, pay taxes, and start to drive. Teenagers are often seen as “too young” to vote and make an informed decision, however, a lot of the policies candidates run on directly affect teens’ lives. This includes policies around health care, affordability, and most importantly gun control. Overall, lowering the voting age could be especially beneficial towards society because it could lead to more habitual, lifetime voting habits.
People who oppose this motion believe that 16 and 17-year-olds can be easily swayed by misinformation heard on social media. Their fear is that teens may vote against or for a certain candidate based on untrue information shared on social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok. While this is a fair concern, older generations have also been swayed by social media. Specifically, Facebook is a popular social media platform used by older generations that has been used to share misinformation related to U.S. politics. Even though 16 and 17 year olds are still young and often seen as ignorant teens, they are just as affected by these policies as the adults are and they want to have a say.
