Why Vote 16?
Lowering the Voting Age Would Increase Voter Turnout
In 2013, Takoma Park, Maryland, municipal government passed amendments to allow 16-year-olds and up to vote. Many teens came out to vote, increasing voter turnout in the city significantly. When the voting age is lowered, there are more voters to voice their opinions, and young people grow a passion for politics.
Allowing Teens to Vote Will Form Lifelong Civic Engagement Habits
Lowering the voting age promotes a culture of civic engagement in teens. Allowing 16-year-olds and up to vote causes a trickle up effect: 16-year-olds who vote create life long voting habits, which will benefit voter turnout of the future and increase civic engagement.
Teens are Already Highly Engaged In Politics
Young adults are influencers to international politics. In the wake of the mass shooting in a Parkland, Florida high school, students ignited a international anti-gun movement. These teens are extremely engaged in politics and have sturdy opinions on politics and policy. Teens these days are connected and have diverse political views which they deserve to share.
Deserve to Have a Voice
At the age of sixteen, teens are considered old enough to both drive, get married, work, but not vote. Many teens hold jobs, pay taxes, and use public programs, such as public high schools, libraries, transit, and community centers. Teens have reason and right to vote to share their opinions on politics and to have their voice heard by society.
British Columbian Government Open for a Discussion on Teen Voting
Andrew Weaver, Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, voiced his support for teens voting last March. Saying:
“Young British Columbians have the greatest stake in the future of our province. They should have a say in the decisions our politicians make, research shows that the cognitive skills required to make calm, logically informed decisions are firmly in place by age 16. Young citizens of British Columbia are old enough to drive, pay taxes and sign up for the military.”
The Government is ready to negotiate, teens are ready to take action.
Vote 16 Vancouver is spearheading a movement now to create change.
The Facts
Cognitive Ability to Make Decisions
A common concern is that 16-year-olds are not mature enough to vote, but science shows that 16-year-olds actually have the same cognitive abilities as adults in calculated decision-making and consultation. This form of reasoning is called “cold cognition”. However, in situations where adolescents experience peer pressure, time constraints, or extreme emotion, - “hot cognition,” they are unable to exercise the same maturity as an adult until they are around 21 years of age. From a scientific viewpoint, age limits should be determined by the involvement of cold cognition or hot cognition in the activity. Because voting employs cold cognition rather than hot cognition, it seems logical that 16-year-olds should be able to partake in it.
International Policy
Vote 16 is far from a new idea. Countries like Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and the Isle of Man have already instituted Vote 16, increasing political activity among the younger generations and allowing their political systems to bloom. Around the year 2000, many countries began to consider lowering the voting age, but few have followed through. Australia, for example, has tabled this initiative. In Vancouver, we want to take action to create a future with more active voters and a healthier relationship with politics that we can foster from the age of 16.
Cuba
In Cuba, you must be at least 16 years old to vote in Municipal elections. Municipal assemblies are elected every two and a half years. Municipal candidates can be as young as 16 years old! Many young people took this new opportunity and in elections held in October 2017, the voter turnout was about 95% of the population eligible to vote. The voting process in Cuba is quick and easy and voting doesn't require online registration. Although voting is not mandatory in Cuba, it is highly encouraged for people of all ages.
Oregon
On the 18th of February, news broke of deliberations surrounding the change in voting age to 16 in Oregon. “Legislators have proposed an amendment to the Oregon Constitution that would lower the voting age from 18 to 16. If the bill passes, voters would decide on the proposal in the 2020 election” (CNN). In Vancouver our goal is to create this change for municipal elections only, but the Representatives of Oregon have included federal elections to said amendment. If it passes, Oregon teens will be able to vote in the 2020 US election, their voices heard and valued across their country. The Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, Shemia Fagan, said earlier this week, "It's time to lower the voting age in Oregon and give young people a chance to participate at the ballot about decisions that affect their homes, their clean air and clean water, future, their schools, and as we've seen, their very lives." (CNN).
Scotland
One of the first and most successful countries to introduce Vote 16 is Scotland. In June of 2015, the Vote 16 Bill to change the voting age to 16 passed unanimously. Lewis Macdonald, a Scottish Labour politician, stated in an interview after the pass of the bill, “In passing this bill, we should celebrate the democratic participation of all our citizens, the 100,000 or so 16 and 17-year-olds, the million over-65s and everyone in between.” (BBC). This is the impact we hope to have here in Vancouver. As stated by Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, “The right to vote comes with a responsibility to take part in our democratic debate.” (BBC).