AIBU to think children should get a vote?

[Bumpitybumper]

I was thinking about democracy and voting in general and was wondering what people would think about allocating a vote to everyone irrespective of their age. Obviously those who were under a certain age (16/18?) would rely on their parents to make an informed decision about who to vote for on their behalf but this would surely mean that everyone's interests are better represented in a vote? My arguments are:

1. If you are a single parent with 5 children under the age of 18 then your family of 6 would currently only have one vote to cast. Your influence over the end result would be the same as any other individual despite the fact that you are effectively representing 6 people's interests.
2. Parents who vote may genuinely think that one party/result is best for them but another party/result may offer better policies for their children. The current system requires parents to set aside and compromise on individual preferences in order to effectively cast a "family" vote.
3. It is impossible to combat the impact of the "grey" vote if children and teenagers aren't properly represented. The current distribution of votes does not represent the distribution of the population and is skewed heavily in favour of older generations and therefore their interests.

I'm not an expert on this so would be interested in other views on this.

The grey vote is only such a big thing because most of that generation value their vote and use it. Most of us don’t bother.

Perhaps we should focus on why the vast majority of the British public care more about who wins reality tv shows then who runs the country

@SheCameFromGreeceSheHadaThirst
Yeah, can't see that being open to abuse at all. So people with children should effectively have more voting power than those without? Which parent gets to vote on the child's behalf? What about divorced/separated parents?
Do you think most parents don't have their children's best interests at heart and would use the
child's allocated vote selfishly? I honestly disagree. Things like education, affordable housing, climate change etc are all issues that impact younger generations disproportionately and are things that realistically non parents and the older generations are going to be less concerned about. Do you simply say that children's interests don't matter as they do not have the capacity to understand these issues and the associated policies to make an informed decision themselves?

LOL no!

I don't think the voting age should be til 21 anyway. Teenagers know nothing and have experienced nothing about real life, financial struggles, working, paying bills, being screwed over by the Government etc.

And they are always, without fail PAINFULLY left-wing, and 'right-on' and ALWAYS vote Labour, even when there is a useless leader who is untrustworthy and dodgy and bigoted, but they just can't see it!

I think you know who I'm talking about!!!

If politicians had to ‘pander’ to children’s votes then education would look very different and for the better, I think.

I’m a teacher. So pretty confident that the average 8 year old is actually quite capable. Yes there are silly children but they become silly adults. Its no different really.

Things like education, affordable housing, climate change etc are all issues that impact younger generations disproportionately and are things that realistically non parents and the older generations are going to be less concerned about.

Oh, FFS. Is that you, Andrea Leadsom? Newsflash: you don't have to have children to worry about polar bears.

@SillySallySingsSongs
People aren't offended but it is a stupid idea. You want to give small DC a vote? It won't be their vote it will be that of their parent or teacher
Obviously small children wouldn't decide who they voted for as they clearly lack the capacity to do so

I meant that parent's should vote on their child's behalf. People acting in another person's best interest is not unheard of if you think about how power of attorney works. Just because an individual may not have the capacity themselves to do something doesn't mean that they automatically don't count or are unworthy of representation.

I agree - one vote per adult, child, I've also got two cats, four fish, two snails, two shrimp and three guinea pigs - their votes should also be valued too

My house = 17 votes now instead of two ... seems fair

😆😆😆

OP .. ... afraid I disagree (if you didn't get the irony above)

“The grey vote is only such a big thing because most of that generation value their vote and use it. ”

This. Don’t want our votes potentially influencing things? Get out and vote then!

Things like education, affordable housing, climate change etc are all issues that impact younger generations disproportionately and are things that realistically non parents and the older generations are going to be less concerned about. Do you simply say that children's interests don't matter as they do not have the capacity to understand these issues and the associated policies to make an informed decision themselves?

Now you are being goady. What about issues that accirding ti you would disproportionately affect the older generations? Do they not matter?

Oh and no a child can't make an informed decision themselves.

But if parents decide for their children then it's not the children's vote- it's basically allowing some people to have more than one vote simply because they had a child/children. What a stupid idea!

But how would the parents take an unbiased view of how their child would want to vote? If the parent is, say, a member of UKIP, they're hardly going to vote Green on the kid's behalf are they, because the kid likes trees?

Laughing that you think people are offended. They're not, they just think it's really really stupid.

Low voter turnout IS a concern, but I'd rather see the UK having compulsory voting and a preferential voting system to combat this, rather than lowering the voting age to 16 etc.

Both the above measures work fine in Australia.

I meant that parent's should vote on their child's behalf.

Yeah why not because I mean that seems totally legit.

@GlasgowWorrier
Oh, FFS. Is that you, Andrea Leadsom? Newsflash: you don't have to have children to worry about polar bears
I know and wouldn't suggest otherwise, but realistically most people vote on the issues that most affect them. Of course there are some elderly people that are interested in education etc but I think suggesting that there isn't a link between age and interest in certain key policy areas is disingenuous. I would also suggest young people are less likely to vote for things like the free bus pass for pensioners and fuel allowances. This doesn't mean they are lacking compassion for the old or are ignorant.

the general consensus seems to be that parents should be voting to reflect their family's best interests

Making decisions to reflect your family's best interests is literally what parenting is so yes, voting would be covered by that.

Do you think most parents don't have their children's best interests at heart and would use the
child's allocated vote selfishly?

I want to vote for Party A. I love Party A. They're going to give the public sector a whopping great pay increase and free gin every Friday. Their education policy is a bit vague and they're going to find their election promises by selling off greenbelt land but pay increase! And gin! Of course I'm going to use my vote and my kids' votes to vote for Party A because I really want Party A to win. If my kids don't like not having any fields or parks then they can sort that out once they're 18 and get control of their own vote, in the meantime they'll benefit from the pay increase and fun Fridays being shipped off to their grandmother's house. There's five votes for Party A instead of just one.

Do you honestly think anyone would say "well I like Labour and hope they win so I'm going to vote for them but I reckon my 2yo is more of a Tory, I don't want them to win but Little Timmy's vote is Little Timmy's vote..." and then cast their child's vote for a party in opposition to their own?

16year-olds? maybe at a push. but younger children? ridiculous.

@MrsVietor
But how would the parents take an unbiased view of how their child would want to vote? If the parent is, say, a member of UKIP, they're hardly going to vote Green on the kid's behalf are they, because the kid likes trees?
You seem to assume that adult's are incapable of divorcing their own interests and preferences from their child's. I do agree that this would be an issue but I also think things like power of attorney recognise that it is possible for an adult to act in the best interests of another.

Laughing that you think people are offended. They're not, they just think it's really really stupid
No I am definitely picking up the "stupid" theme, don't worry! There were a few that suggested I wished harm on old people and other such strange statements that led me to identify that some people were also offended...

I do think voting should be compulsory though. With a "none of the above" option.

Ridiculous idea.

I meant that parent's should vote on their child's behalf

Don't parents already cast their vote according to their family's best interests?

Lefties like this idea because they think they'll get more votes for their moronic policies.

You're being ridiculous. Everyone has an internal bias that's almost impossible to shake, so expecting people to objectively weigh up what their non-verbal 6-month old might be looking for in a government is pie in the sky gibberish.

Also, power of attorney doesn't give me the right to vote on my mum's behalf now that she can't do so on her own behalf.

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Suttree literally no-one on this thread likes the idea apart from the OP. Nice that we now know how you'd vote though.