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.

sorry for double-posting

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

The majority of the thread has said it's a silly idea, barely anyone on the thread has said what their own voting preferences are. Of the two people who have indicated a preference, both have made disparaging remarks about "lefties".

Says it all really.

I am not suggesting you disenfranchise old people! My point is that the top of population pyramid will be overrepresented in referendums and votes of the bottom of the pyramid isn't represented at all. The middle of the pyramid is currently split between parents and non parents and the general consensus seems to be that parents should be voting to reflect their family's best interests.
You really don't get it, do you. Why do you think that only parents of minors care about "family's best interests". Are you saying that all "grey" voters are heartless and selfish, that they live in a family-less bubble. Why do you think that a parent has some insight that is not available to a grandparent? (or any of the rest of the population, including childfree/less people).
Anyway, I don't vote purely for my family's best interest, I also look at the nation's best interest.

I'm a leftie. I think it's a stupid idea.

"You seem to assume that adult's are incapable of divorcing their own interests and preferences from their child's"

But people vote according to what they think is best. It's not like Tory/labour voters do so out of complete self interest and think "fuck my kids, I just want a tax break/more benefits"
They think that the country will function better under that party and as a result will be in their kids best interests.

I seem to remember an anomaly in Scotland to do with the number of 16-18 year olds voting being larger than the population of 16-18 year olds in a particular area. As minors, their names can't be published on the electoral roll, so there was no way of verifying that these were genuine votes.

I would like to propose an alternative: I would like to take away the vote from everyone, as only afford it to people who complete a mandatory course to prove they understand how the vote actually works and what it means.

YABU.

And I was a very politically engaged teenager who would have loved to get the vote at 13 or so. I'd have been appalled by the notion that my parent could cast 'my' vote in what they considered my best interest -because they definitely wouldn't have chosen the far-left party that I supported. I think that had your system been in place I'd have completely lost faith in the political process.

I don't now think it's at all sensible to let 13-year-olds vote but I think even that would be preferable to your proposed system!

I think with the revelation that the brain only reaches full maturity at about 25 we should consider reassess the voting age upwards!

I know this won't happen but I am strongly against lowering the voting age.

Incidentally, why are righties so rude?

@FenellaMaxwellsPony that happens to an extent anyway because people on the fringes of society are far less likely to vote, either because of low motivation or because their lives are too chaotic.

@Genevieva if it happened enough, we wouldn’t have Brexit

I think lowering the voting age to 16 or 17 would be good. I think discussion around politics in schools would be a good idea too-sadly not sure where the time to do this would come from. This would help kids understand more about politics and what each party/type of election is about.
To counteract the PP who said teenagers are always left wing what about the findings that showed as people age they become more right wing? In turn those people are possibly more disconnected from issues facing younger people.

MQv2

"give children the vote?"

"Yes and ho"

I nearly gave up on this thread and then I saw this - fucking perfect!!

@purits
You really don't get it, do you. Why do you think that only parents of minors care about "family's best interests". Are you saying that all "grey" voters are heartless and selfish, that they live in a family-less bubble. Why do you think that a parent has some insight that is not available to a grandparent? (or any of the rest of the population, including childfree/less people)
I didn't say anyone was "selfless or "heartless" but that people tend to vote in their own self interest and there is a link between age and interest in certain policy areas. Hence to appeal to the "grey vote" the parties offer improved pensions and bus passes for over 65s rather than improved childcare. You can ridicule me all you want but to pretend that old people don't tend to vote for different things than the young is just disingenuous.

My DSCs were all staunch labour supporters due to their mum's politics, including going on marches and stuff. Literally within the last two years (coinciding with them leaving school and less under their mum's influence) two are now Tory (one very staunchly so) and one is undecided. You simply can't vote on anyone else's behalf.

@FenellaMaxwellsPony the referendum wasn't an election. People who had never voted before and haven't voted since registered to vote for the first time.

There was a general election after the referendum...

If I was 8 I would have voted for any party that would have cut the school week to 4 hours and gave free puppies to under 10s.

I'd have voted for whichever party my parents told me to vote for in return for some sweets and a late night.

Chrisinthesun 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 have voted Tory since I was 18 in 1984 (bar once, when I was so pissed off I voted for a party that I knew wouldn't get in, and was not the Labour party). I don't think I have ever been 'left wing' or (shudder) 'right on'.

@MQv2
But people vote according to what they think is best. It's not like Tory/labour voters do so out of complete self interest and think "fuck my kids, I just want a tax break/more benefits"
They think that the country will function better under that party and as a result will be in their kids best interests
I understand this and agree to an extent.

I think my problem is with representation. if those without capacity don't get a vote then the most vulnerable in society are effectively underrepresented. You rely on parents to use their one vote to represent a whole host of people's interests and this one vote that is potentially made on behalf of numerous people is equivalent to one that is cast by another adult who represents only themselves. In terms of lives impacted this just doesn't seem fair.

In order to combat the grey vote, we need to make the non greys actually vote. Political apathy is shocking in this country. Getting kids to vote isn’t the solution.

Now I would actually trust 8 year old ds more than a lot of adults in his ability to make an informed vote because he is strangely obsessed with all things politics and very well informed. (He teaches me a lot )

However in most case a child won’t have the ability to understand what they are voting for (I question that some adults do tbh!) and having a weighted voting system is even worse!

@Theyprobablywill
Nobody is suggesting children would get to choose themselves who they vote for...