COLUMN: No, the voting age should not be lowered

On March 7, 2019, 126 members of Congress voted yes in the first ever vote on a proposal to lower the voting age to 16 on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, a historic milestone for a movement that has been gaining momentum in recent times. This buzz came from the argument that today’s youth are more politically aware than ever before.

The voting age was changed once before, in 1970, when Congress lowered it from 21 to 18 during the Vietnam war. The idea behind this was that if 18-year-olds were able to fight for their country, they should be able to decide who represents them.

Today, there is no reason for further change. At 16, most teenagers are still students legally required to attend school and still under the care of their parents or guardians. Almost all of their real-life challenges have been countered by one proxy or another.

With few exceptions, 16 years olds have never managed a household, struggled to pay the bills, run a business or even filed their own taxes. Teens under the age of 18 are not allowed to participate on juries. In many instances, teens cannot even enter into a legal contract without their parents’ permission. That puts the voting restriction in-line with other areas that govern choices.

Generally speaking, a 16-year-old has no significant real-world experience. For many, getting a driver’s license is their first real interaction with any government agency at all.

While most Americans can agree that youthful enthusiasm in politics is appreciated, we should also acknowledge that teenagers lack the judgment and maturity to make voting decisions and should not be making political decisions for society as a whole.

The brain of a 16-year-old is not fully developed. On average, brain development doesn’t stop until mid to early 20’s. Even at 18, views are still forming and decision-making skills are not at their peak.

The majority of teenagers in this age group typically aren’t properly informed about politics or only have an understanding of politics that is portrayed through social media. They are not capable of making educated decisions that are different or independent from higher influences such as their parents or public figures.

Could some of today’s teens vote in ways that are informed and responsible? Perhaps so, no doubt that those in minority could put older, more mature voters to shame. However, that would not be the case for the majority of 16-year-old voters.

Putting the vote in the hands of those 16-year-olds could cause more cons than pros. Therefore, we should not lower the voting age and instead give them at least a few years to formulate some original thoughts before giving them real power in the voting booth.