“...no right is more precious in a free country than that of having a choice in the election of those who make the laws under which…we must live. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined.” America, the land of the free. America gives more rights to citizens than most other countries, such as voting. Once only a white man who owned land could vote and, over time, we have given others the right. Now at this time, anyone can vote. That is, anyone eighteen or older. I believe that we should lower the voting age to sixteen. To understand my point, we must observe three different points. First, we consider the responsibilities of youth and their lack of rights. Second, how lowering the voting age will increase …show more content…
Voting turnout always needs to increase, the more demographics represented, the better. By allowing youth to vote we are encouraging them to start a good habit. It is common knowledge that the earlier you start habits the more likely they are to continue throughout life. This will also increase voter turnout in older generations too since it will be a lifelong habit. Another reason why sixteen is a better voting age than eighteen is the stability in their life at the time. At 1eighteen many youth leave their homes and live on their own. With the stress of the new experience of independence it can be hard to see the importance of voting. But by setting the voting age to sixteen, when youth are in a familiar environment and are concerned about local issues, we will increase the chance of them voting. It is much easier to make a vote when you live in comfortable surroundings like family and community. Plus letting youth vote will help parents vote too. “A 1996 survey by Bruce Merrill… compared turnout of registered voters in five cities with Kids Voting (A mock election for kids)… with turnout in five cities without the program… between five and ten percent of respondents reported Kids Voting was a factor in their decision to vote… 600,000 adults nationwide were encouraged to vote by the program” By allowing youth to vote, it will inspire parents to make their way to the ballot
As becoming the age of 18, people has the chance to start voting. People 18-24 have a lower percentage of voting than other ages. This is because the youth vote has changed over time and the reasons why the youth vote doesn’t want to vote. I will vote in the upcoming elections when I turn of
Only then will America’s ability to find answers to voting turnout increase. It’s very unsettling to know that there was a six percent decrease in young voters (ages 18-29) in the 2012 election compared to 2008 (Circle Youth data). In 2007, the National Conference of State Legislatures publicly released a report and data set on voter turnout in democratic countries. This is a quote from that report titled Getting out the Vote, “It should be noted that in 1972, 18-year-olds were added to the eligible voting population, thus decreasing the percentages. Nonetheless, voter turnout in the United States is lower than that of every democracy in the world other than Switzerland and Poland” (33.3)....
... equal system. The lower age could also encourage and interest youth much more in political processes and parties as now they would actually be able to impact the way they are governed and who is governing them. Politics would be much more noticeable in schools and the general knowledge of politics and the political process would drastically increase. The youth would also be more likely to develop earlier the skills and potentials needed in later life politically and even socially. In conclusion when all is said and done I, personally would like to say the voting age lowered to sixteen for many of the reasons above. There will be many people opposing this movement but I think it is time for the youth of Canada to be heard and if they wish they should have the opportunity to vote and express their opinions and choices.
Some might argue that the right to free speech or the right to own property is what makes someone a true American citizen. In Wilbert L. Jenkins’s book, Climbing Up to Glory: A Short History of African Americans During the Civil War and Reconstruction, the right to vote is considered a major accomplishment when gaining the rights of an American citizen. These voting rights are so important that African Americans fought constantly to acquire them. Even as whites built barricades to stop the newly freed slaves from voting, African Americans rose above to claim their voting rights and political interest.
Voting participation is one of the most common controversies in today’s society. Thom File of the Young Adult Voting: An Analysis of Presidential Elections, 1964-2012 states that, “Voting rates, which represent the number of voters relative to a given population or subpopulation, have varied across recent election cycles with the general outcome being that voting rates increase with age. In every presidential election since 1964, young voters between the ages of 18 through 24 have consis-tently voted at lower rates than all other age groups, although young-adult voting rates have fluctuated from one election to another (Young Adult Voting: An Analysis of Presidential Elections,
The voting age must be lowered if America is to be a free and democratic nation, and youth are to be granted their human right to take part in the business of their nation by being allowed to vote. Works Cited D. G. The "Elective Election" Education Week on the Web! 10 Feb. 1998. http://www.edweek.org/ew/vol-11/13boxh11.
Although there are 44 million eligible young voters ages 18-29, in 2012 only 45% of them voted. These young people make up one fifth, or 21%, of the eligible voting population, yet they often do not vote. Voting is a tremendous gift! Young people in many other countries around the world have to fight to gain this right. In America, voting is often taken for granted by all age groups, but the youth take it for granted the most.
I think that the legal age of voting should be age 21 and older because when they are at least 21 they are able to make good decisions and choose which one would be the best President. When they are at age 21 they are at the drinking age legally. And that means that they can make big decisions and be responsible and they should be the ones to be to vote.
Hello, I am RJ Dearing. I am a sophomore at Washington Virtual Academies and I am writing to you to tell you why you should change the minimum age to vote to be at least closer to sixteen years of age. The younger generation of teens and young adults who also have a few opinions on politics like myself would love to voice our opinions on our own ballets. The only problem is the minimum age to vote right now is eighteen. A whole two years of waiting for our voices to be heard, when all you have to do is change the minimum age and let us have our voice heard on political matters.
How lucky are we to be able to live in the land of freedom and the country that has equal opportunities for all its citizens? Many of us take those opportunities for granted while there are other people in this planet who dream of being here and having these opportunities. Furthermore, there are a lot of people who don’t seem to understand an important right and privilege that comes along with freedom. That privilage is known as “voting” which allows the people to take part in what’s happening with the country and the government. Voting is expressed in many ways not just every four years to elect a president in office.
Essay #3: Voting In the United States, voting is an essential way for the people of our country to make decisions. Many people across the world who live in different nations do not have the right to vote for their leaders. Despite this, around half of the people in the U.S. who are legally allowed to vote, did not vote in the last presidential election in 2016 and this number decreases by about 20 percent in many caucuses and primaries. This leaves many wondering why.
The first support Kamenetz argues is, the 2008 presidential campaign brought in the most voters under the age of 29 in history. If the voting age would be decreased, there would be more voters under the young adult category. There would be an increase of voters, including those under the age of eighteen.
The extension of the right to vote and the elimination of limitations to vote have been progressively achieved in the United States. Initially, in the 1800s only white men and property owners over the age of 21 could vote. From the year 1971 to the present, every person aged 18 or over, whether a Citizen, a resident of a State and not a criminal convicted, has the right to vote. Likewise, Also, over the years, the participation of the population in voting has changed. For example, in the year 1896, 80% of the electoral population exercised their right to vote, while in 2008 the voters´ percentage was 61%, even though the population with the right to vote has increased. One of the possible causes of non-participation in the elections was indicated
“ I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery Thomas Jefferson 1787.” That is why the civil war took place. Voting is your right because you put your opinion out into the world for everybody to see it. Now everyone can vote in subjects such as politics, gun rights, sporting, and assault.
Young people votes can make a big difference in elections and the percentage are more than likely to increase tremendously if the just give it a shot. There are several reasons why young adults do not often vote in national election. They are busy getting a education or working, and they do not take the time to think about politics or which candidate to vote for. For example , some young adults would generally look at race or a plan that candidate will carry out with. They also are becoming more lazy and have no knowledge of the proper procedure.