Voter apathy is not restricted to teens - a huge number of people my age that I know don't vote because they "can't be arsed".

Mind you a lot of people in Scotland couldn't manage to put an "X" in a box at the elections last year without screwing it up, :rofl:

Actual in coutries such as Brazil where people 16+ can vote, the turnout of people voting has increased, and lets face it, if you are old enough at 16 to be tried as an adult for crimes committed, and old enough to make the decision to leave school, then surely you should be old enough to vote.

Voter apathy is not restricted to teens - a huge number of people my age that I know don't vote because they "can't be arsed".

 

Exactly Rich.... I just really do not think that it would do any harm whatsoever to lower the voting age, I really dont.. It may even force Politicians out there to start taking the concerns of the young a damn sight more seriously than they actually do, especially with regards to education, etc..... So, how can that be a bad thing....? No, I think an injection of "new blood" as it were into the political process might actually turn out to be a positive rather than a negative....

 

16 year olds are considered mature enough to get married and raise kids, to get full-time jobs and pay taxes and contribute to the country, and to be considered 'criminally responsible' (ie, tried as adults..)...

 

 

It would be pointless to. As if a bunch of chavvy 16 y.o's are gonna care if Brown is still prime minister in the next term or not.

If anything should be lowered, its the drinking age. Its absolutely ridiculous to have it at 18. Im 16 and i still get served alcohol at my local. No asking for ID or anything. I may have a beard but like f*** do i look 18

:rofl: Hell no. What would happen if all people like me would VOTE :rofl:

A rare thing folks - Me and Craig in 100% agreement..... :lol: :lol:

And me. Is this a record? :lol:

You're right - but I'm thinking more of manipulation AIMED at young voters, such as the proposed Lib Dem promises to get rid of tuition fees - a promise made the summer before I went to Uni! If I was voting, it would probably have swayed me into voting LD, when actually I don't believe in all of their ideas. But, that is just one example, and you're completely right to say that everyone is manipulated, and so really it is a bit of a non-point.

 

Generally though, I think this IS a good idea. As Richie and Harve have said - I know a lot of under 18's who I would trust to vote more than a lot of irresponsible 40 year olds.

So are you suggesting parties shouldn't have a policy on tuition fees? :unsure:

I think that if they are working then they should be able to vote. Maybe somehow only those who are in full-time employment should be able to vote, because some 16-year olds wouldn't have a clue, while others would. I just think young people need to be taught more about politics and how it affects them.

Edited August 10, 200816 yr by Lyricaldreamer