Lower voting age to 16?

[Bsuds]

They could possibly be more intelligent than many posters but that doesn't make them smart enough to vote!

Some of those folk not smart enough to vote don't bother getting any smarter as they age.

I think some actually go in the other direction.

[Veovis]

But youth do get to vote. At the age of 18. They are still youth then. Why you want children to vote is completely different.

These kids aren't "striking" and other activities because they are politically minded and in touch with the world around them, they do it because some adult told them too. Get realistic, that's not where the vote should be.

Heck I could stand outside a voting station and offer $500 to every kid 16-17 that proves they voted for the conservatives and you'd see that green "save the world" vote evaporate by 80%. Heck that would like still work with the 18-25 demographic as well. They aren't principled they just like cutting class and pretending they are part of the group.

[oldtrucker]

Gman313, for what I've seen, I have to say I agree with Bsuds.
I have friends that have kids that have recently graduated. Getting information on a smartphone is one thing , understanding it is another. Try to have a conversation with them on a subject that doesn't include sports or entertainment.
But then again...I'm just a truck driver, what do I know. What 16 year old would want to have a conversation with me on whether Proxima Centauri is part of A and B moving group?, ...or if the tektite that I dropped in their hand was the same age as the K-Pg boundary matrix it was found in. ? Old weirdos.

[Jlabute]

Some high-school graduates are more intelligent than a few adults, evidence abounds. The youth also have a vested interest in a single political issue today, because their future just might depend on it according to only them, but doesn't according to scientists. I don’t care if climate change is human-caused or a natural cycle; I think it is pretty clear to most people it is harmless and just maybe it is something that is beneficial. Better to be prepared for a WEATHER disaster that doesn’t happen than to not prepare and deny a threat that very well could (and a carbon tax which we will get rid of does not prepare us for anything). That all being said, I believe the current voting age of 18 is good enough, especially appropriate if they have graduated high school.

p.s. If I was the king of the world (and I know ALOT *snicker* of you out there are so glad that I am not) I would make high school graduation mandatory for everyone. Not everyone is an academic so there could be a vocational stream as well. Everyone would also take courses in civics, health and financial management, and physical education would once again be part of the curriculum (I wonder how much we “saved” by cutting out physical education from the curriculum arguably to be replaced by an obesity crisis).

p.s.s. Robot trucks? Very scary.

^^^ excuse the edits ;-)

Mandatory graduation is a fair idea. Physical education is good. I wish one of my kids had been kicked in the butt for secretly skipping school. Now he has two jobs to make ends meet with no HS diploma. As smart as we might think high-school students are, most of them after graduation pursue an even higher education, like most adults have already done. You don't come out of high school as an engineer of doctor, but typically work at McD. After graduation from higher learning, then they are almost an adult ;-) As the ministry has been trying to push recently, no one is an adult or mature until age 25.

You are right though, keep it at 18 or 19.

[gman313]

Gman313, for what I've seen, I have to say I agree with Bsuds.
I have friends that have kids that have recently graduated. Getting information on a smartphone is one thing , understanding it is another. Try to have a conversation with them on a subject that doesn't include sports or entertainment.
But then again...I'm just a truck driver, what do I know. What 16 year old would want to have a conversation with me on whether Proxima Centauri is part of A and B moving group?, ...or if the tektite that I dropped in their hand was the same age as the K-Pg boundary matrix it was found in. ? Old weirdos.

what better way to get them educated then by involving in politics. If you are mature enough to vote at 18/19 then you are at 16

many 16 year olds are mature beyond those in their 20s and many 16s are as smart as a brick. Age is just a number

They however stand to be impacted by those elected to office. Especially as they are starting there adult lives, which many do at 16

I apologize for my trucker comment it was weak and in poor taste

[oldtrucker]

The average 16 year old would vote almost entirely on idealistic views- nothing wrong with that. The kid may be very smart, but still lacking in wisdom. Have they had to deal with medical problems as to have a bit of insight into what a political party has for healthcare spending? Probably not.
Speaking of smart adults....this is part of a conversation from a phone call that I just got from a 56 year old female friend whilst writing this blurb. oldtrucker=o oltruckers friend = f
f- Bleep(her son) just texted me, it's snowing in Calgary and Camrose.
o-Ya it was plus one in Edmonton this morning. Don't you mean Canmore?
f- Oh right, Canmore.
o- Not surprised it's snowing in Calgary, it's at a much higher elevation.
f -I though Edmonton was higher up.
o- It is further north. Calgary is higher elevation.
f- Well, I thought that Edmonton being further up would be higher.
o- No. Calgary is higher than Edmonton by over 1000 feet.
f- What? 1000 feet? I thought Edmonton was way further up than Calgary- miles and miles further.

Sometimes I wonder if a mosquito has a better understanding of its world than some people.
This is a example of a adult that should maybe not be allowed vote...
Wasn't it Churchill that said he believes in democracy right up to the part of having a 5 minute conversation with the average voter?

[oldtrucker]

it was weak and in poor taste

It was funny and partially true.

[JagXKR]

Yes let's lower the bar so the fringe parties can get more votes. Maybe they will take some away from the Liberals. That would indeed be a good thing.
Unfortunately the adolescent brain has not finished cooking. This is not something that is new to science, it's been well documented for many decades. But hey, let's not let science get in the way of having more people voting.

https://raisingchildren.net.au/pre-teen ... ment-teens

This brain remodelling happens intensively during adolescence, continuing into your child’s mid-20s.

The front part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, is remodelled last. The prefrontal cortex is the decision-making part of the brain, responsible for your child’s ability to plan and think about the consequences of actions, solve problems and control impulses. Changes in this part continue into early adulthood.

Because the prefrontal cortex is still developing, teenagers might rely on a part of the brain called the amygdala to make decisions and solve problems more than adults do. The amygdala is associated with emotions, impulses, aggression and instinctive behaviour.

Yep, the 16-18 year old brain is what I want helping form a government. What a great idea. Please, all of you give me more of these great ideas to ponder.

[common_sense_guy]

How about anyone 16 to 18 you have to produce a T4 slip

ridiculous

I know many young folk that volunteer and are probably better humans than most posters

So what does volunteering and being a better human being as far as being nice is what I'm guessing you're alluding to, have to do with knowing what the real world is like. You only develop that knowledge after you've been in the real world for a length of time. Like having a full-time job and responsibilities and bills. Your argument for letting them vote isn't a strong one

[Carrs Landing Viking]

Personally I would like to see to voting age raised to 25. Most might be mature enough by then to form an unbiased opinion.

16 year olds by contrast are far to easily manipulated and brain washed by others. A case in point would be Greta, who has been manipulated by her parents. This kid does not have the capacity to think for herself.

[Jmfva]

Personally I would like to see to voting age raised to 25. Most might be mature enough by then to form an unbiased opinion.

16 year olds by contrast are far to easily manipulated and brain washed by others. A case in point would be Greta, who has been manipulated by her parents. This kid does not have the capacity to think for herself.

yet our seniors are duped by facebook fake news constantly, and spread it further than any other age group. Every age group have manipulated people, none more or less than others. Keep doubting a kid who can give speeches in her second language to the UN at 16 and also suffers from a disability. Her parents didn't believe in any of what she is doing until she convinced them. whatever is needed to feel tough on the internet.

[The Green Barbarian]

Keep doubting a kid who can give speeches in her second language to the UN at 16 and also suffers from a disability.

I am not doubting that Greta is significantly terrified and I don't doubt that she firmly believes the idiotic apocalyptic nonsense that she has been fed and has been spouting with robotic ease. What I do doubt is the actual nonsense she is spouting, and I hold those pushing her into this garbage thoroughly responsible. There are plenty of brain-washed 16 year old girls in the world who believe the same evil fairy tales, but Greta was hand-picked by these evil slime and used as propaganda. And they are the ones to be held accountable here.

[Jmfva]

Keep doubting a kid who can give speeches in her second language to the UN at 16 and also suffers from a disability.

I am not doubting that Greta is significantly terrified and I don't doubt that she firmly believes the idiotic apocalyptic nonsense that she has been fed and has been spouting with robotic ease. What I do doubt is the actual nonsense she is spouting, and I hold those pushing her into this garbage thoroughly responsible. There are plenty of brain-washed 16 year old girls in the world who believe the same evil fairy tales, but Greta was hand-picked by these evil slime and used as propaganda. And they are the ones to be held accountable here.

Right, see we let fake news sufferers vote already...

[ferri]

[rustled]

I was an activist teenager. My take-away: teens don't yet fully understand how the idealistic changes to current systems they so passionately want can have serious detrimental unintended consequences. It doesn't occur to them. Collateral damage isn't even on their radar, and if you try to put it there they just don't get it. That's why we have graduated driving programs, legal drinking ages, etc.

Plenty of adults are really good at ignoring the harm caused by the policies they support. They refuse to take responsibility for the results of their actions.

Responsible, mature adults with a conscience feel terrible that they have been part of a movement that caused serious harm to others, or to the environment.

Who in their right mind would suggest we make teens take on more of this sort of responsibility?