Nova Scotia to Consider Lower Voting Age to 16
Stephen McNeil, Nova Scotia’s Liberal leader, thinks the province should lower the legal voting age to 16 in an attempt to increase youth participation at the polls. He claims there are no fundamental reasons 16 year olds should not be allowed to vote. Correct me if I’m wrong, but there are!
Firstly, compared to a typical adult, most issues that define elections don’t affect this age group.
These issues include taxes, the economy, war and even issues like abortion and gun control, where their beliefs haven’t had enough time to fully develop. Furthermore, many 16 year olds are extremely susceptible to the views and beliefs of their parents because they haven’t had enough life experience to formulate their own political views. The result of allowing them to vote would be like handing their parents an additional ballot. Lastly, and this sums up the whole issue for me, 16 year olds are simply not educated enough to make an informed vote. Sure they attend civics classes in grade 10, but can taking one civics class really help someone make an informed decision come Election Day? I think not.
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Tags: nova scotia, vote, voting age
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November 27th, 2008 at 12:44 am
With all due respect, I could not disagree with you more, Tamir. To say that most issues do not affect 16 year olds is not only wrong, it is missing the point. By granting youth the right to vote, they will be forced to think about there beliefs related to all issues (including those that may not impact them today). You may personally hold believes about things like the top marginal tax rate, and may vote based on your feelings towards it even though you do not pay any taxes at the top marginal tax rate!
In Canada, the unemployment rate includes those who are 15 and up. As a result, it is not unreasonable to believe that 16 and 17 year olds do not face many of the same issues that elder Canadians do. Many of them are employed (and pay tax). They deserve the right to determining how those tax dollars are spent by being given the vote!
November 18th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
A 16 year old will be about 21 years old by the end of a typical 4 to 5 year mandate. So any arguments that they’re not affected by such issues not only starts out false, it becomes more and more false as the term progresses.
February 24th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
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