Silbaugh, K. (2019). Developmental Justice and the Voting Age. Fordham Urb. LJ, 47, 253. Retrieved from: https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/840/
The article has discussed the need to raise the voting age with regards to developmental justice. Silbaugh (2019) advocates for youths due to attempts to increase the ages of majority in various areas of law such as driving, buying tobacco and criminal conduct. The child welfare activists are fighting with the troubles of adultification on minors. In social and legal history, seeing minors at the age of 16 and 17 years as having adult capabilitiesis linked with holding them accountable for their mature decision making especially in the criminal justice scheme.
The article argues that the voting age plays a protective role of the youths. The article contends that youths between the age of 16 and 18 years are entitled protection and support rather than adult expectation and consequences. A low voting age leads to premature engagement in criminal justice system. Therefore, raising the voting age lowers the risks of adultification and criminalization.
Silbaugh, K. (2020). More Than the Vote: 16-Year-Old Voting and the Risks of Legal Adulthood. BUL Rev., 100, 1689. Available at: https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/1026/
This article has focused on the risks of legal adulthood due to 16-year-old voting. Considerably, the needs of the young adults rarely focus on the long term implications and social protection systems in the society. When young individuals are moving from school to work at the age of 16 to 18 years, they become politically engaged, receive more opportunities but also face significant risks and obstacles. The article argues that exposing 16 year olds through to 18 year olds to campaigns undermines the legal system of managing the probable exploitations which in some cases offers parents the authority to manage, prohibit and supervise contacts as well as individuals that communicate with the minors.
A low voting age undermines the protective commitments that schools make to children, the child welfare system and the justice system. 16- year old voting mainly focuses on increasing the voters rather than addressing the standing of adolescents. The article has emphasized on the need to raise the voting age at the cost of improving the youth protective legal posture. This is because a lower voting age has affected the protective commitments and increased adulthood legal risks among adolescents.
Lucas, H. (2019). Voting age should be raised. Available at: https://www.bulldogbulletinonline.com/opinion/2019/05/08/voting-age-should-be-raised/
The article contends for raising the voting age. With regards to the article, at the age of 16 to 19 years, most of the youths lack experience as citizens as well as financial knowledge which is why they should not be allowed to vote. Lucas (2019) argues that rather than reducing the voting age, the government needs to raise the voting age to 21 since the voters have life experience, financial knowledge and work ethic. These traits lack among youths between the age of 16 to 20 years. The article adds on reasons why voting age should be raised. At the age of 18, the youths have been first exposed to the world after high school life. For the first time they are living on their own, paying bills, living costs, taxes as well as other expenses. Therefore, only after having life experiences that they are capable of making good life changing decisions.
The article reveals that most American adults feel that the teenagers have no life knowledge and experience in the national leadership. However, after living several years and having their own life, they are more likely to make decisions based on sense and logic rather than feelings. For this reason, the minimum voting age should be raised to 21 years to meet the necessary attributes.
Harry Mc. (2019). It’s time to raise the voting age to 21 or older. Retrieved from: https://www.al.com/press-register-commentary/2012/11/its_time_to_raise_the_voting_a.html
The article has discussed various reasons why people under the age of 21 should not be allowed to vote. Harry (2019)argues that 18 year olds fail to comprehend the foreign policy, the global economy and payment of taxes. Additionally, young adults are likely to be manipulated by either party. This is because there are many young adults that are not analytical enough when deciding on the political future. They are easily indoctrinated and influenced. Ideally, what happens to youths as they move towards21 is beyond gaining more knowledge on economy and history. This is because at this age they are able to gain firsthand knowledge and experience since they are living independently. The article argues that the government should only allow individuals that pay taxes to vote. Therefore, the age limit needs to be raised to 21 or even 25.
Additionally, youths at the age of 18 hardly have the capability of making long term decisions. The voting system has been design in such a way that the large block of inexperienced voters has led to poor leadership. The article argues that a nation needs more experienced voters that will help in guiding the country for a period of four years.
McAllister, I. (2014). The politics of lowering the voting age in Australia: Evaluating the evidence. Australian Journal of Political Science, 49(1), 68-83. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10361146.2013.868402
The article has focused on evaluating evidence on the impact of reducing the voting age to 16 which has already occurred in some countries. The concern of voting rights has intersected with empirical and normative approaches towards engagement of youths in political decisions. Through proof from Australia, the article has empirically evaluated the opinions that have been put forward to support lowering of the voting age.
The findings have indicated a fractional support for reducing the voting age. There lacks evidence regarding the importance of reducing the voting age and how it would boost political participation. The findings have opposed the idea that young adults are more mature today as compared to the past. The lack of arguments to support reducing of the voting age has brought into line the need to raise the voting age. With regards to the findings, any move to lower the voting age will have more consequences than benefits.
Ellie, L. (2011). The voting age should be raised, not lowered. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/ellie-levenson-the-voting-age-should-be-raised-not-lowered-5355305.html
Ellie (2011) is against lowering the voting age and advocated for raising the voting age. The article states that being against lowering the voting age has been considered by most progressives as symptomatic of gaining some irritability and losing one’s youth. Ellie (2011) argues that the majority of youths are not mature enough and are less responsible to vote. The idea that an individual can get married at 16 to 18 years does not bring a logical connection to having the right to vote. A young adult at this is not capable of making legally binding and life changing decisions. For instance, one has to be 18 years in order to sign a legally binding contract. They cannot also be allowed to apply for mortgage or their own houses since they are under parental control and consent.
Ellie (2011) adds that it is at this age that teenagers are exposed to new perspectives and ideas through media, school and the new people they meet. At this age, they are required to evaluate about their political perspectives, modify them at their will, try out policies and debate on them without taking actions. According to the article, voting is a thoughtful matter since it is what constructs policies, rules and equality of a country and thus needs to be done thoughtfully. Therefore, a higher denominator needs to be consider which means there is need to raise the voting age.
Oosterhoff, B., Wray-Lake, L., & Hart, D. (2021). Reconsidering the Minimum Voting Age in the United States. Available at: https://www.montana.edu/psychology/pyd-lab/Oosterhoff-et-al%20pre-print.pdf
The article indicates that the dissenters of changing the voting age are mainly concerned with whether the 18 years old have adequate political maturity vote including cognitive capacity, political knowledge, life experience, interest and independence. Changing of voting age varies based on individual differences and ideology that influence the value based arguments concerning voting age. Considerably, this article argues that voting is both a responsibility and right within a democratic political system.
Voting has emphasized on the need for voters to have certain qualities. The general justification against altering the voting age concerns beliefs that youths do not have enough awareness and political knowledge. The article has been linked to low rates of political knowledge among United States youths. The youth lack basic facts about economy and politics which influences their political knowledge and their practical standpoint. The article also argues that youths do not have the cognitive abilities as compared to adults. The findings of this article has called into question on the voting age and how political knowledge and cognitive ability align to political decisions.
