LOWERING THE VOTING AGE
WHY LOWER THE VOTING AGE?
1. If teens have adult responsibilities, they should have the same rights. Starting at the age of 16, teens can pay taxes and be tried as adults. It is unjust to consider 16-year-olds responsible adults in the context of committing crimes and earning money, but immature children in the context of voting.
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2. Lowering the voting age will benefit youth. Issues such as education, environmental destruction, and national debt have a direct effect on youth. Allowing younger people to vote will encourage teenagers to develop their opinions, and encourage politicians to devote time to issues that impact youth.
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3. Lowering the voting age would increase voter turnout. In 2013, Takoma Park, Maryland, lowered their voting age to 16. Takoma Park 16 and 17 year olds voted at twice the rate of residents 18 and older. Lowering the voting age would increase voter turnout, which may allow for fairer elections.
THE VOTING AGE SHOULD BE LOWERED TO 16.
Do you feel strongly about climate change, pollution, or personal freedom? If so, you might look forward to when you have the right to vote on these issues. However, have you ever wondered why you need to be 18 instead of 16 to start voting? Society has decided that 16-year-olds can drive, be tried as adults if they commit crimes, and pay taxes if they work. If 16-year-olds are given these responsibilities, they should be trusted with the right to vote.
THE PROJECT
MYTHS ABOUT LOWERING THE VOTING AGE
Myth #1: Youth are too immature and inexperienced to vote.
The fact is, experience and maturity do not determine voter eligibility. There are plenty of immature and mentally ill adults who can vote. If the right to vote was based on one's intelligence, people would also be required to take a literacy test. This is unconstitutional under the Voting Rights Act. Therefore, the argument that 16 and 17 year olds are not responsible enough to vote is irrelevant in the context of contemporary voting rights.
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Myth #2: If the voting age were lowered, teenagers would not vote.
In fact, lowering the voting age has been proven to increase voter turnout. HeadCount, an organization that works to promote participation in democracy, noted that for every month of extra age that is restricted in allowing people to vote, there is a decline in “first vote” turnout. Therefore, lowering the voting age would increase voter turnout and allow teenagers to develop a habit of voting.
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Myth #3: Lowering the voting age would require a Constitutional amendment.
While it would require a Constitutional amendment to change the age on a federal level, individual states and cities can change their voting ages. For example, Takoma Park, Maryland, lowered the local voting age to 16 without needing federal approval. From 2013 to 2015, 22 other cities lowered their voting ages. To lower the voting age in a city, an ordinance needs to be approved only by city council members.
NEWS
Read the press release below about Teen Vote meeting with Knoxville city council member Seema Singh-Perez.
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Contact: Sofia Tomov
(865) 317-3590
Knoxville Teens Advocate Lowering the Voting Age to 16
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee-December 22, 2017 - Sixteen and seventeen year-olds soon may be able to vote in Knoxville elections, under a proposal introduced by the Teen Vote organization.
Teen Vote, a nonprofit dedicated to lowering the voting age, met with District 3 city councilmember Seema Singh Perez to discuss the possibility of introducing a charter amendment to lower the voting age in Knoxville elections.
Teen Vote believes that lowering the voting age will benefit the local community by promoting responsible civic action and increasing voter turnout. According to the organization founder Sofia Tomov, “Lowering the voting age would empower more teen voters to participate in government and establish voting as a habit.”
The Teen Vote organization emphasizes the act of voting as an act of justice. As Teen Vote member Tyler Jones states, “sixteen and seventeen year-olds have many of the same responsibilities that adults do, but have no say in government.”
Some of these responsibilities include being tried as adults and being taxed on their income. “Taxation without representation still exists in the U.S.- in the form of working, disenfranchised teens," says Teen Vote member Eli Ferguson.
Teen Vote advocates for lowering the voting age to uphold justice with respect to government-granted adult responsibilities, and to foster hope in citizens’
ability to participate in government. As member Chance Jones says, “voting allows citizens to share their views on policies, and allowing sixteen and seventeen year-olds to vote would add more input.”
Councilwoman Perez expressed her support for the cause in a meeting. She emphasizes the importance of civic engagement, and contends that “anything that involves more citizens in government is necessary to fight the apathy that seems to have taken over.”
The examples of Takoma Park, Hyattsville, and Greenbelt, Maryland all prove how lowering the voting age involves more citizens in government and leads to positive community outcomes.
With Councilwoman Perez’s endorsement, Teen Vote will continue pursuing lowering the voting age in Knoxville by introducing a charter amendment to the city council.
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About Teen Vote:
Teen Vote is an organization dedicated to lowering the voting age to sixteen in local elections. There is a compelling need for bold ideas to strengthen civic engagement and increase voter turnout. Teen Vote believes that lowering the voting age will empower youth to benefit their communities. https://teenvote.wixsite.com/teenvote
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