Should the Voting Age be Lowered?

Teens across the country are pushing for the voting age to be lowered. They believe that certain events, such as school shootings, are affecting them just as much as they affect eligible voters. Teens under 18, who are not currently legal to vote, feel that it would be fair for them to have a say in prominent issues. They believe that they are well-informed and able to vote wisely on issues that affect them daily.  Although these teens are fighting for a right to vote, it is not smart to lower the voting age because some may be ignorant or uninformed about the matters at hand.

I don’t think that it would be smart to allow minors to vote because most do not know much about how the government works or the topics being voted on. Personally, as an almost 16-year-old, I don’t feel as if I have the knowledge to wisely vote. I am not being taught about the government in school, therefore, my knowledge on this depends on the research I choose to do. I feel that people should not be able to vote unless they are well-informed on the people or issues they are voting on. It is dangerous to allow ignorant people to vote on important things that will affect the people in our country.

However, some ineligible voters may be well-informed about the way our government works and the topics being voted on. Some young people who are intrigued with politics may know more than adults who are eligible to vote. Even though this may be true, I believe that the majority of minors are not informed enough to vote on current issues. At least one high school course in government or civics is required in only thirty nine of the fifty states. This means that not every student is expected to learn about how the U.S. government works. Unfortunately, this results in ignorance and many people vote without understanding exactly how it works.

I do not believe that the voting age should be lowered from 18 to 16 because the majority of minors do not understand how the U.S. government works. It would be dangerous to allow these teens to vote because they may vote despite being uneducated on important topics. Voting affects  the people living in this country and that responsibility should be given to those who value it and recognize the importance of it.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/push-lower-voting-age-gains-traction-across-states-n886146