In most countries, the current voting age is 18. Should this age be lowered? Yes? No? Why? Discuss :)

I think 18 is a good age. Although I wasn't your average teenager. xD I knew a wee bit about politics.

I'm definitely not an expert on politics, lol, but I knew enough to make my own decision on who I wanted to vote for :)

Nawww

I say no, but only because of peoples attitudes to voting, only one of my friends voted during the european elections (i didn't as my papers never turned up), some of my friends didn't vote as they don't understand the parties fully, but others never want to know and can't be bothered, they would rather just be ignorant of politics. I don't think a lower age would result in higher turn out, just more spoilt ballots.

I think the European Elections are different. Most people are pretty clueless about them. I hunted online to try and find out each party's policies as relevant to the UK's role in Europe and I could find absolutely nothing! I did vote though. In the end I voted for the only one that bothered to put campaign material through my door (although even the policies listed there didn't seem particularly relevant to Europe).

I think most Brits are generally far better informed when it comes to general (UK) elections (and also for Scottish and Welsh parliament elections).

I think that the issues I worried about prior to 18 were not the kind in which I personally wanted to vote for a president. :/ Sure, I could say "I want him" but it carried little weight, and I remember being just slightly frustrated in the Kerry/Bush election--mostly because I was tired of Bush being president (and I was incredibly close to being 18). But, do I think the age should be lowered? No. At 18 you're considered an adult (which in itself may be a bit silly considering all of the 18 year olds I've come across) so you should be able to have say on how the next years of your adult life are affected. You're worrying about different things to a greater extreme: how your college education will be paid for, rent, getting a more dependable car than the junker you got at 16 and needing loans for that; all practical things. And if that's not your cup of tea, surely other things will interest you. No need to change the limit though. :/

no. i actually think 18's too young. at 18 i had no freaking idea how to vote, no understanding of the parties or their policies and no real desire to give a shit lol. most teens aren't thinking about who's leading their country, they'rte thinking about getting laid, drinking, up coming exams, friends, money etc etc. not politics.

I agree.
I think it should be like, 21 or something.

When I was 18 I was like 'fuck yes i can do what i want' and did what i wanted.
I didn't care what was going on in the world.
Few years changes shit ;D

the first time i had to vote was a few months after i turned 18. i didn't understand shit, now did i care. lol.

AMEN! I'm pretty sure I voted hungover on my 18th year.

I didn't know anything about it, I still don't, I honestly can't be bothered looking it all up to learn.
I think voting at 18 is fine, but they should educate people about it more. You always see those stupid campaign ads baggin the other party. They should advertise what their party CAN do.

the info is out there, but what 18 year old can be fucked researching party policies? i'm 23 and i can still barely be fucked finding out lol.

Thats right, it should be thrown out there into 18 year olds faces. Like on a porn site hahaha. I dunno, when it's time to vote, everything on tv about voting seems like a lot of bitching about how bad things are.
Porn is so good though...

i'd rather watch porn than political ads haha.

oh god pauline hanson. noooo!

Except Pauline Hanson porn... Eww

Go wash your mouth out (or burn your fingers?!)... you do not string the words "Pauline, Hanson and Porn" in the same sentence... ITS BURNING MY EYES!

I had no idea at 18... and no idea at 23.
Hell I didn't vote for Howard last time coz I don't like his eye brows.. lol

Not only should it NOT be lowered, it should be RAISED! There are far too many 18 year olds that not only do not care, but also do not understand the process. I've said for many years that the voting age should be at LEAST 21 and more properly...25.

God damn, I think 25 is far too old!
18 seems just right to me. It gives the opportunity to those who do have some idea about what politics is all about to choose who they want to lead their country. I think 21 is too old in fact too.

But those who don't care just won't vote. Why should the many mature, responsible 18 year olds be punished and have their right to have their voice heard removed because of a few who are too immature?

I had a fairly good understanding of politics at the age of 16. At the age of 17 I was working. At 18 I was living away from home, claiming a student loan, paying rent, and by 23 I was working for our national health service and paying taxes, and by 24 had a mortgage. I would have been furious if at that age I STILL wasn't allowed a say on who ran my country and controlled all of these things!

It for sure should NOT be lowered. It should be raised, like everyone said, at 18, most people don't care about politics they just vote for who they thing is "cool" or who their friends are voting for. It should be 21 or 23. 25 is a bit old imho but if it made it more so who REALLY deserved to be put in office was put there, then i'm all for it.

Now I'm back from college, I can reply to me own thread ;D
In the UK, you can legally leave school, leave home, get married with parents' permission, legally have sex, get a job, pay taxes and so on at 16. You're given all of this responsibility yet you are not allowed to vote until you're 18. You could ask, if you're given all of this responsibility at 16 then why shouldn't you be given the responsibility to vote? Well, they say that, at 16, you're still considered a "child" and are not as mature or experienced in life as, say, an 18 or 21-year-old would be. But, you can come across a 16-year-old that is way more mature and informed about politics than a 21-year-old, or even a 40-year-old.
I don't think the voting age should be lowered (or raised) but I do think that younger people should be made more aware about politics and the government at schools -encouraged to join programs, such as 'youth parliament' -so, when they have their opportunity to vote, at least they will be informed :)

I think that political education is rather important. Still, and this is only meant to be sarcastic:

Just because you're allowed to drive to the bar, pick up a guy and sleep with said guy, become pregnant because you were inebriated at the time and couldn't be bothered with safe sex, get yourself a shotgun wedding (because your parents don't want to have a bastard for a child), and move out to live with your new husband [/longest RUN ON EVER] doesn't mean you should also vote for who runs your country.

With adult views of responsibilities comes immature decisions on the basis that you THINK you're mature enough to. After all, the government allows you to drink, drive, marry, have sex, and the likes. Why not exercise those rights? ;) I remember when I was in school for example. Starting from elementary school on up I always thought I was more mature than I really was. In fact, I twitch today when people insist that I act younger than I am. I honestly don't think that two more years of maturation is going to hurt. Instead you can advice the youngins on how they should vote and how the government works locally as well as nationally.

Again. The basis was hypothetical. Sarcastic...and not meant to be disrespectful or telling of anyone.

I'll go with age doesnt matter, that there ought to be a political test to take, and only those that can pass it, are allowed to vote.

Shockingly, I have to agree that's not a bad suggestion...