Teens Are at the Forefront of Political Engagement — So Let Them Vote
There are no good reasons to prohibit 16-year-olds from voting
Please, for the love of God, let the teens vote.
Sure, calls to lower the voting age have come to resemble storm patterns that we’ve learned to anticipate from a distance. It’s now familiar, even predictable, to see a ripple of op-eds arguing for a lower voting age in the wake of any national event, be it a shooting, a climate march, or a school walkout.
It’s almost as if circumstances are trying to tell us something.
As things stand, minors are shut out of our political process. As a result, they’re forced to act extrapolitically — scheduling international marches, sit-ins in Congress, and various fundraisers. But it would be incorrect to imply that the kids deserve a vote for demonstrating that they care. Political representation isn’t a bone we toss to reward high-profile tricks that demonstrate civic worthiness, nor should it be. This is an argument about urgency, not indulgence. Sixteen-year-olds need to vote because our democracy demands it.
There are, in fact, no good reasons to continue prohibiting 16-year-olds from voting. And yet, an overwhelming proportion of Americans are opposed to the very thought. These…
