Should 16 year olds be allowed to vote?

[ExitChasedByABee]

Great points raised by Kate Williams on Twitter. Should 16 year olds be allowed to vote or are they still too young?

Yes.

They already do in Scottish elections.

Yes

No

I think voting should be restricted to legal adults. As should serving in the armed forces, marriage, driving and anything that involves someone needing to enter into a contract.

There may be an argument for reducing the age of legal adulthood to 16, I don’t have views about that, but let’s keep voting for adults.

I would prefer to see long-term legal residents given the right to vote, even if they’re not UK nationals. You lose the right to vote if you don’t live in the UK for 15 years; you should gain the right to vote if you’re here legally for that period of time.

No.

No

Yes.

No. 16 is far too young. You only need to look at the average 16 year old to see that.

Tbh I'd support a raise to 21 but certainly 18 should stay the minimum.

Hell, no!
Plenty of neurological research to show why teenagers are irrational and reckless. Brain still developing till about 25.
Voting age should be raised to that.

No. They are too young. Most couldn't give a shit anyway.

No. They are not adult and don't have enough life experience of many of the issues to make a reasoned choice.

Neither do many adults, sadly, but there's not much you can do about that.

I think voting should be restricted to legal adults. As should serving in the armed forces, marriage, driving and anything that involves someone needing to enter into a contract.

Absolutely agree with this.

Yes and if we don’t because they are children then they shouldn’t be allowed to have sex, get married, live alone etc

No way.

I'd even have the age as old as 23 (and raise the age of the armed services etc.)

Have you listened 16 year olds try to argue and reason?

I actually think the voting age should be raised, not lowered. Even most 18 year olds are too inexperienced and immature to vote.

God No. Most of DD's friends are shouty, belligerent, blinkered, unreasonable and unreasoning young people. That's fine. That's what they are at that age, but reasoned enough to vote on policies not politics, no.

Yes.

I remember at 16 paying income tax and NI on my part time wages and being very frustrated I had no influence on how the government spent it.

I think at 16 you are old enough to be able to make a reasoned decision and can understand the consequences.

My 16yo dd voted here in Wales and was proud to do so.

I’d be interested to know the turnout figures for 16/17 year olds in Wales, Scotland, Jersey, Guernsey etc

Most of the 16/17 year olds I know are more engaged in issues that impact their future than many adults!

Yes.

Their brains may still be developing and they might not have an in depth knowledge of the idealogical differences underpinning the main parties or the different roles and responsibilities of local and national government but nor do many adults.

I've listened to so many vox pops where grown men and women give completely fatuous reasons for voting for one party or another that I really despair.

Turnout for national elections is depressingly low and for local elections is even worse. Maybe if 16 year olds were allowed to vote while many of them are still enthusiastic - albeit naive and oversimplistic - some of them might catch the voting habit and might stick with it.

No. Keep it at 18.

@ForkedIt

Yes and if we don’t because they are children then they shouldn’t be allowed to have sex, get married, live alone etc

I agree. I don't think 16 year olds SHOULD be able to do any of those things anyway. Most 16 year olds, in my opinion, are still children and therefore not mature enough to make big decisions like who to vote for, whether or not to marry, or to have sex or not. There are obviously going to be exceptions to this rule but to be honest I don't understand the huge rush to be a 'grown up' anyway. Most of the time it's crap!

Yes, my 16 yo spent quite a bit of time looking at the different party leaflets and websites and quizzing DH on the system in Scotland. Probably did more research than lots of older adults. They can marry, fight for the country etc, they should have a say.

I remember at 16 paying income tax and NI on my part time wages and being very frustrated I had no influence on how the government spent it.

You don't pay income tax, or NI on part time wages. The government don't tax 16 year olds on their part time earnings. Your tax allowance is currently £242 per week - any less than that you do not pay any tax at all.

No. I agree that they shouldn’t be able to do this. Some of them are very active and interested in politics, social and environmental issues and it’s great. They can gain experience and vote at 18. Why rush? And I don’t think that it’s necessary for them to marry or fight for the country at this age however I’m sure some of them are able to do this.