Why would anyone think 16 year-olds should be allowed to vote?

[MsAmerica]

Be honest - think back to when you were 16. Did you have an understanding of a broad range of issues? Did you pay serious attention to national news? Okay, even many adults may lapse on the score, but still, it seems crazy to me.

In the U.S., voting age had been 21 and the only reason it was lowered to 18 was that teens were being drafted to fight in Vietnam, and it was felt as unfair for them to have no say.

In my country, education of children is seen as very important.

‘Nobody has a right to tax free non state eduction’

..since January 2025, fixed it for you.

🤔

Same. My country has better educational outcomes than the UK. And yet - no private education.

That's probably because the state system is fit for purpose throughout the country.

Which country?

Holland

That's just from comments upthread!! I'm not stalking! 🤣😆

The Netherlands rather than Holland

Strange what funding can do for the state system............

Quite. This is not to say that the Netherlands does not have some schools which are better than others, and that it is some kind of Utopia - but it is a less unequal society than the UK. That could have something to do with the fact that we used our Marshall Plan aid to actually rebuild the country instead of using it to cling to an already lost relic of an Empire.

I didn't say the EU. I said Europe. Of which we still remain part.

😐

Some of those countries have voting rights for 16y olds

Waiting an extra 2 years to vote is not a fundamental basis of European culture. The importance of education is.

This thread is about voting for 16-17 year olds in the UK.

My apologies, OP.

True, and I haven't yet seen an argument against that stands up to common sense or consistency.

Agreed.

I don’t think anything magical happens between 16 and 18 so am fine with teenagers voting. A good opportunity to get people involved young and have a say in decisions that will affect them longest. Particularly with the birth rate as it’s been in many western countries, we need to have more younger people getting involved.

Yep we had a golden opportunity to do something great for the people of the UK, we had this opportunity again with North Sea Oil but sold it off for short term tax cuts.

The Tories have over many decades wrecked this country.

Well you’re very for the change anyway.

I am. Adding in PR would be even better though.

Pp have put forward some good opposition, if people feel strongly it should happen I doubt anything would sway them anyway.

That doesn’t mean the arguments against aren’t there.

Labour would like to benefit, maybe it’s concern over polling.

Well we’re lucky to have you. Your critical thinking, reading comprehension, humble attitude to the U.K. and above all your skills in being able to have a coherent discussion are something to behold.

What country are you from?

Even if that helped Reform? Just out of interest.They came second in a lot of constituencies.