Should minors be able to vote?

With the new age of social media, people are now being exposed to much more information at a much younger age. Minors are now taking charge of their future in many ways other than voting. They are able to form their own opinions on issues that affect them. So the question is: Should minors be allowed to vote?

“Their reasons for not voting are not based on a lack of political motivation and political ability. Their quality of vote choice is no lower than among older voter cohorts”, stated by NCBI. 

This topic has been the center of many debates. Many people argue that minors may be too ‘rebellious’ or too ‘liberal’ to participate in voting elections. While others say that minors should learn from an early age to be engaged in the political scene. While this conversation has been opened for a while, there is still no conclusion/action that has been made. 

The NYRA states, “ In 2011, people under 18 paid over $730 million in income tax alone and had no representation on how that money was spent”. VOX magazine agreed and stated that kids may be more affected by elections than adults are, “…kids shoulder the consequences of the decisions our politicians make. They’re the population most affected by food insecurity and by air pollution”. 

“It’s time to give them a voice in our democracy by permitting them to be heard at the ballot box. 16- and 17-year-olds are legally permitted to work and drive. They also pay federal income taxes,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng (D).

In the beginning of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, kids were sharing their own opinions on how the government was handling the situation on social media. Technology has changed the way we see the world in many ways that we never thought to be possible, and as the world continues to change, so must society.

 Even though the conversation of voting for minors has been a hot topic for a long time, it wasn’t until recently we see kids become more and more involved with the environment around them. Everyday, we see minors taking to the streets to protest what they are passionate about and taking charge of their future. If you exclude minors, you are excluding a third of the population of the U.S. their right to vote. 

So as Congresswoman Grace Meng says, “Let’s let them be heard and make their voices count.”