16 year old's shouldn't be allowed to vote. Shathu Rajadurai
In my opinion. Sixteen-year old's shouldn't be allowed to vote. One main reason is that they're just too young. Even though it can get them more involved in politics and the country, most of them won't even know who they're voting for and why. Sixteen year old's don't really care about politics. They'll just vote for the person that's most popular or who their friends are voting for. Even though there are mature sixteen year old's who do care and have a passion for politics, it won't hurt them to wait just two more years. By waiting two more years, it will expand their knowledge on politics. It is important for teenagers to learn about Canada and the government and learning about in school is good enough. Making sixteen year old's vote in elections can turn out in a negative way.
16 years old shouldn't be allowed to vote- Character Profile (Manal S.)
My Perspective:
You believe that the 16 year olds should not be given the right to vote. Jean- Pierre Kingsley, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada listed some of the major reasons for a low turnout of votes in the youth.
· Low level of political knowledge
· Apathy or lack of interest
· A declining sense that voting is a civic duty
· Limited contact with political parties and candidates
· Practical problems such as getting registered to vote
Firstly, it’s important to understand that the 16 year olds do not have fully developed mentality to make choices that not only affects them and their family but the entire country. Sure, they could be mature enough to get their driver’s license, get married or even move out and get a job. However, these decisions only affect you and if you go wrong somewhere in the process of making these decisions, then in the end it only affects yourself or the people around you. If you make a wrong and irrational choice while voting, you are not only putting your future at risk but are also putting the country into the hands of maybe an inexperienced leader.
Also I would like to point out the fact that you’re only eligible to get your driver’s license when you turn 16 but going through the process of passing the G1, G2 and finally G, you’re actually way past 16 and are 18 or almost 19. When you’re 16, you get your G1 and can only drive with an adult with 5 years of experience beside you. The marriage of youth aged to 18-24 is only 4.3% so it’s rare that a 16 year old gets married and learns responsibility, and mostly it is the only case, where the teenager gets pregnant due to careless behaviour that they think of marriage. To start things off, you will consider the fact whether lowering the age to 16 year olds will benefit the voting turnouts or not. It was clearly stated in the Canadian statistics organization. “In 2011, the turnout rate was about 50% among people age 18 to 24. In the last federal election, the voting rate among people with a university degree was 78%, compared with rates of 60% or lower among those with a high school education or less.” Lowering the voting age isn't going to increase voter turnout percentages at all. It will drastically drop them even lower. It's the 18-25 year olds that are the lowest participating group already, if the youth of this age doesn't participate in voting then how can we guarantee that the 16 year olds will? You believe that if adults this age are not interested in politics or caring to vote, then there is a high chance of the 16 year olds not participating either. It’s not often where you see the 16 year olds personally sitting down with their, friends, peers or family and discussing politics, elections or even the future of Canada.
It’s simply because topics like these do not attract them and they feel they could care less. You believe that the 16 year olds are not the most responsible aged youth. They have really only just got out to the world and to their 'responsible stage'. They need some time to know how it’s run now and if it should be different or be changed. They can't just vote or it won't come fair as they may not know how the world is being run by government at this time. A person from Austria states “The voting age in my country is 16 and I can tell you guys that it doesn't really change the political situation. Most of 16-year-old teenage electorate don't care about politics and don't actually vote.” Take it from someone who has already experienced with getting to vote at 16. When you ponder upon a thought for a little bit, are you really interested in politics, and getting the right to vote? The main interest that lies in the eyes of a 16 year old is graduating from high school with memories, good grades, a social life and scholarship so does you voting really make a difference?
You believe that the 16 year olds should not be given the right to vote. Jean- Pierre Kingsley, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada listed some of the major reasons for a low turnout of votes in the youth.
· Low level of political knowledge
· Apathy or lack of interest
· A declining sense that voting is a civic duty
· Limited contact with political parties and candidates
· Practical problems such as getting registered to vote
Firstly, it’s important to understand that the 16 year olds do not have fully developed mentality to make choices that not only affects them and their family but the entire country. Sure, they could be mature enough to get their driver’s license, get married or even move out and get a job. However, these decisions only affect you and if you go wrong somewhere in the process of making these decisions, then in the end it only affects yourself or the people around you. If you make a wrong and irrational choice while voting, you are not only putting your future at risk but are also putting the country into the hands of maybe an inexperienced leader.
Also I would like to point out the fact that you’re only eligible to get your driver’s license when you turn 16 but going through the process of passing the G1, G2 and finally G, you’re actually way past 16 and are 18 or almost 19. When you’re 16, you get your G1 and can only drive with an adult with 5 years of experience beside you. The marriage of youth aged to 18-24 is only 4.3% so it’s rare that a 16 year old gets married and learns responsibility, and mostly it is the only case, where the teenager gets pregnant due to careless behaviour that they think of marriage. To start things off, you will consider the fact whether lowering the age to 16 year olds will benefit the voting turnouts or not. It was clearly stated in the Canadian statistics organization. “In 2011, the turnout rate was about 50% among people age 18 to 24. In the last federal election, the voting rate among people with a university degree was 78%, compared with rates of 60% or lower among those with a high school education or less.” Lowering the voting age isn't going to increase voter turnout percentages at all. It will drastically drop them even lower. It's the 18-25 year olds that are the lowest participating group already, if the youth of this age doesn't participate in voting then how can we guarantee that the 16 year olds will? You believe that if adults this age are not interested in politics or caring to vote, then there is a high chance of the 16 year olds not participating either. It’s not often where you see the 16 year olds personally sitting down with their, friends, peers or family and discussing politics, elections or even the future of Canada.
It’s simply because topics like these do not attract them and they feel they could care less. You believe that the 16 year olds are not the most responsible aged youth. They have really only just got out to the world and to their 'responsible stage'. They need some time to know how it’s run now and if it should be different or be changed. They can't just vote or it won't come fair as they may not know how the world is being run by government at this time. A person from Austria states “The voting age in my country is 16 and I can tell you guys that it doesn't really change the political situation. Most of 16-year-old teenage electorate don't care about politics and don't actually vote.” Take it from someone who has already experienced with getting to vote at 16. When you ponder upon a thought for a little bit, are you really interested in politics, and getting the right to vote? The main interest that lies in the eyes of a 16 year old is graduating from high school with memories, good grades, a social life and scholarship so does you voting really make a difference?