So, the idea of voting at age 16 is out there, and to be sincere, I can understand why they’re considering it. It would be wonderful to grant a voice to younger people. But, if I really sit on it, I’m not sure I totally think it’s the best idea. Some serious factors make me want to think the voting age needs to stay at 18, basically debating whether 16-year-olds are really ready. 

One of the biggest pieces is about how our brains are still growing. Everyone is aware that teens tend to be very impulsive, right? Science does too – our brains are not done cooking until our early twenties. This would also imply that big, life-altering choices, like who to vote for, might be harder for younger teens. It is not necessarily an issue of facts; it is an issue of understanding the long-term impact of the facts and choices. Is it possible for 16-year-olds to be able to weigh all the complicated repercussions without being swayed by short-term emotion or what is popular in the moment? It’s a rather enormous responsibility. And then there’s the whole knowledge problem. Well, yeah, maybe some 16-year-olds are totally into politics and are aware of a lot. But most of us aren’t even just beginning to learn about how government actually is until high school. We’re still learning about the world, and we don’t have much experience that we can draw upon.”. Knowing how policies influence our future, our jobs, and our communities takes more than just reading the headlines. Without that real-life experience, it’s difficult to understand the entire picture, and that could result in less informed votes overall. Matias Williams junior says (“ that voting ages should not be changed to 16 because many 16-year-olds are not fully educated about the government and may not know a lot about the situation”).

Lastly, let’s not be naive: teenagers are impressionable. Our parents, teachers, friends – they all have a tremendous influence on what we think. As natural as it is to be influenced, especially at that point in our lives, voting at best must be about making up our own minds. If we let 16-year-olds vote, then their votes can be swayed by adults or their peers, not their thought-out opinions. We need our democracy to be strong, and for that, we need to have voters voting based on their own worth, not following the crowd.  Samantha Jennings, senior, says (“the majority of 16-year-olds are easily persuaded by friends, family, and other adults, and when it comes to making important decisions, they can alter the outcome”). 

In short, although I think it’s wonderful that young adults would care about politics, lowering the voting age to 16 is perhaps a bit premature. The question of maturity, gaining enough life experience and know-how, and susceptibility to external influence are rather significant factors to consider. Keeping the voting age at 18 gives people a little extra time to develop the critical thinking and the information necessary to make genuinely well-informed, independent choices, and that is essential to a healthy democracy.