Voting at 16 (2 Viewers)

[Lentern]

Mumble wrote a little thing about this today, the readership of the Australian seems spectacularly opposed to it, writing off young people as stupid and immature. I'm interested in what a younger view on this is. I hate people who try and dictate the contents of a thread but it would be preferable if for the sake of this thread we assumed democracy itself was not a bad thing.

 

[annagurl]

I'm sixteen. I don't think I, or many people my age would take voting seriously.

 

[cosmo kramer]

most people dont take voting seriously

i was at the high school that was holding the vote a few years ago and put my vote in and the guy working there said "waste of paper isnt it" and i was like "yeah i didnt want to come here" and he nodded and i left

 

[Azure]

Imagine what the government would resort to in terms of buying the votes of younger and arguably more naive and gullable voters.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

I think it should be optional voting 16-18. Only the politically aware would vote then. Can't really make it compulsory for under 18's because who would be fined for them not turning up and they're not adults so they can't really assume legal responsibility.

Personally, I've been pretty politically since age 14 or so and can't wait till I can vote. However, I think the politically passionate in my age group are probably a minority, but then again politically aware adults are probably the minority.

Btw, funnily enough I had a debate on keeping at eighteen and lost arguing that

 

[cosmo kramer]

cant it be optional period

 

[LoveHateSchool]

^You'd think that with how many people don't care, but then that begs the questions "Does that still make it democracy if not everyone is having a say?". And then there's questions if then people can be intimidated to not vote etc.

 

[Lentern]

cant it be optional period

It can and should be yes.

Imagine what the government would resort to in terms of buying the votes of younger and arguably more naive and gullable voters

I don't think they'd make up a big enough voting bloc for it to be worthwhile politicking, particularly given the propensity of youths to take their voting cues from their parents.

I'm sixteen. I don't think I, or many people my age would take voting seriously.

This

most people dont take voting seriously

I think it should be optional voting 16-18. Only the politically aware would vote then. Can't really make it compulsory for under 18's because who would be fined for them not turning up and they're not adults so they can't really assume legal responsibility.

If they can drive and assume the raft or responsibilities that come with that or if they can hold a job and submit a tax return it's not beyond the realms of the imagination that they can be treated like adult voters.

 

[SylviaB]

no one should be allowed voting "rights"

 

[cosmo kramer]

that begs the question

no it doesnt its still democracy

And then there's questions if then people can be intimidated to not vote etc.

but intimidating people to vote is kool huh

anyway the argument is irrelevant b/c nobody is actualyl forced to vote even here you only get the fines in the mail if you're registered and don't show up (and you don't have to register)

 

[b00m]

i voted this year for the first time at the state election and i could hardly be arsed tbh

 

[cosmo kramer]

human rights are like god (not real)

 

[Lentern]

no one should be allowed voting "rights"

They're are a shitload of governments around the world who agree with that if you'd prefer to live under one.

 

[cosmo kramer]

 

[iRuler]

imo it's fine at 18, most people even at 18 just do a donkey vote or vote for idiots.

 

[pony_magician]

Nope. Most of the 16 year olds I know are misinformed and will vote for liberal.

trollface.jpg

 

[LonelyWolf]

it'd be so much better if we kept the same age (18) and made it optional. Give me 3 reasons why that wouldn't be better than the other types

 

[Lentern]

it'd be so much better if we kept the same age (18) and made it optional. Give me 3 reasons why that wouldn't be better than the other types

It probably would be but I didn't include the option in the poll because I don't care.

 

[Ivorytw]

Perhaps if there was a political information class where high-schoolers could have a chance to be unbiasedly educated about either party and make an informed non compulsory decision where friendly debate is encouraged.

Regardless of whether you decide to vote or not I think it should be compulsory to be educated without a political bias.

 

[Gigacube]

Perhaps if there was a political information class where high-schoolers could have a chance to be unbiasedly educated about either party and make an informed non compulsory decision where friendly debate is encouraged.

Regardless of whether you decide to vote or not I think it should be compulsory to be educated without a political bias.

I agree with this. I would take the class whether it was compulsory or not.

I'm 16 but I wouldn't want to vote because I probably can't make an informed decision due to the lack of information we learn about it at school. Most kids in my year would just treat it as a joke anyway.