Tomorrow is Election Day--would you vote if you could? New Moon's September/October 2006 "Voice Box" asked readers that very question:
1. At what age should people be allowed to vote? Why?
2. Should kids’ votes count as full votes or partial votes?
3. Would you vote in national elections if you could? Why or why not?
4. Do you think politicians would treat young people differently if teenagers could vote?
The GEB already chose their favorite answers, which we'll publish in the January/February 2007 issue. But we got a TON of great responses from readers! Here are just a few:
"Not long ago, my class was talking about the election of George W. Bush. It turned out that if we kids had the right to vote, the current president wouldn't be in office. Kids and adults have different opinions. If kids could vote as early as 16, maybe it'd bring better, more responsible presidents into the White House."
-Dina, age 12, Colorado
"I find that there are more irresponsible children out there than not, who would throw away their vote (if they had one) in exchange for a candy bar. But, on the other hand, there are many far more irresponsible adults, and also many responsible children, and so I would be willing to take risk of allowing voters Kindergarten through death if it was up to me. I think it only fair, because children are affected by elections as much, even more, than adults. For example, suppose the Government passed a law for shorter recesses. That, in my opinion, would affect children’s health drastically. If children could vote, however, the government might pass a law for longer recesses, in order to get more votes if they ran for re-election – like the way the gas prices are going down as we near November 7th."
-Sorcha, age 10, California
"I don't think that kids should be able to vote. A 14-year-old probably wouldn't know enough about how exactly each president would affect the nation. Also, a parent could take advantage of the child, by grounding them or punishing them if they didn't vote for a specific person. This would give people with children who could vote more votes than people without children. People might start to have more children so that they could get more say in the presidential election. The elections would become unfair, and would become much more chaotic than they already are. This is why I think kids under 18 should not be able to vote."
-Monica, age 11, Connecticut
"Politics don't just affect adults. They affect everyone, from a teenage girl considering an abortion, to an elementary school student taking a standardized test, to a young family without health insurance. So if the best way to voice our opinions about the kinds of politics that affect our everyday lives is to vote, why is voting limited to people over the age of 18?
I know that not all kids or teens--or even some adults--might understand politics and government well enough to make the 'informed decisions' that voting involves. But I think it would be fair to give those under age 18 who do care about having a say in politics a chance to have that voice. I know that if I could vote in elections (local, state, or national), I would do so without hesitation. As singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco says, we have to understand that 'the personal is political.' If only everyone understood that!"
-Natalia, age 15, Wisconsin
"I think the voting age should be 16 because if you can drive, you are obviously ready for some responsibility. I think people under 16 should vote, but their votes should be counted as partial votes. I think teens’ votes (above age 16) should count as whole votes, because some adults don't know much more than kids about politics.
I would vote if I could, but I know people that wouldn’t. But not everyone has to vote!
I think politicians would change their campaigns if kids could vote, but they shouldn’t. Kids can be very well-informed. The politicians wouldn’t need to sugar-coat everything."
-Sarah, age 13, New Jersey
"I think that the voting age now is fine. People know what they think when they are 18. Kids usually take the opinions of their parents. Kids’ votes should not count in the real election. I will vote in national elections when I am 18 and my opinions are thought out and my own."
-Sarah, age 12, New York
"Voting is something I think is very important, I would like it if 16 year olds could vote. If they could vote there would be more say in whose president and we can let our voices be heard! I also think since we’re a whole person we should get a whole vote, why not? I would love to be able to vote, because I feel it helps us be supportive of our country. I know though, that if I was allowed to vote, the politicians would end up changing their whole campaign to stupid stuff like teen pop stars and fashion. That doesn’t seem right! I don’t care if Paris Hilton is on their t-shirts, it’s what they promise to do for our country that matters! So, do I think teens should vote? Yes! But I don’t think politicians should change their campaigns to suit us!"
-Jessi, age 12, Pennsylvania
"The voting age is a huge issue that can’t be addressed by a simple yes or no answer. For one thing, as I am sure we’ve all realized at some point in time or another, pre-teens and teenagers all mature at different rates, and we all come from different backgrounds that affect our maturity. Giving a 14 year old the right to vote might not always be the best solution. Even 16 and 18 year olds might not be mature enough to shoulder such a responsibility as voting. After all, we are talking about our country’s management. It is also unquestionable that politicians, parents, teachers, and other mentors would treat young people differently. At this time in our lives, we are still learning right from wrong and are highly impressionable. It is even a fact that the decision-making part of our brain is not yet fully developed. So, while we might not be altogether naive, it wouldn’t be hard to alter our votes to suit someone else’s opinion either.
This is why I have come to the conclusion that the best solution to this issue would be a test. Knowledgability in the voting process is key. However, age does not determine maturity, and so, giving this test to only the youngest members of our voting community would be foolish. The test would require the voter to provide the basic facts on a measure, congressmen, or whatever was being voted upon. These questions would have bubble in answers, and the results of the test would lead to a custom ballot suited to the voter’s knowledge.
In addressing exactly what age a voter should be, I believe that best to be left open ended--but not completely. I think the best answer to this question would be that that any young person with a driver’s license should have the right to vote. After all, the fuel economy is affecting everyone else as well as them, and if you’ve passed a test to be out on the country’s roads, you should be able to make decisions about how it’s run as well. "
-Sarah, age 14, California
The New Moon delegation met with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Chief of Staff, Terri McCullough, at 11 am on Wednesday, March 21st. Ms. McCullough thanked the girls for coming and began the meeting by explaining that one of Speaker Pelosi’s favorite sayings is “Know Thy Power.”
