Should the voting age be reduced to 16 years old?

Ash.J.Williams

No

ScumLord wrote: »

It is but most adults have been duped at least once if not many times in their lives. We have experience with political media tricks and even if we're not smart enough to see it coming once you learn something the hard way it sticks with you.

I don't think the education system is up to much so I think people need some time in the real world to get some idea of how things run and what needs changing.

yes but how many people hit the real world and then lose interest in how the country works, at least in school it can be discussed intelligently, which i presume would be the case....

ScumLord

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

If by some miracle, someone from a boy band was a candidate in the general election...

The number of 16 and 17 years who will vote is a trivial enough figure but it empowers the youth with a voice.

I was more using the boyband as an example of teenage fanaticism. If the right cool person runs the teenagers that wouldn't normally vote could be called into action.

I know many do but I like to think that I myself and a lot of others don't live in an idealistic fantasy world..

How would you know you live in a fantasy world until it's tested in the real world?

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

yes but how many people hit the real world and then lose interest in how the country works, at least in school it can be discussed intelligently, which i presume would be the case....

Would the classroom be the best place to discuss politics? Look how many of the current politicians are teachers. Discussing politics in school could be seen as aspiring politicians influencing ignorant voters. I mean ignorant not as an insult there, just that they don't have the information and are easily influenced.

Peregrine

No

ScumLord wrote: »

How would you know you live in a fantasy world until it's tested in the real world?

What makes my world not real and yours real?

You can't seriously be suggesting that every single person between the ages of 16 and 18 lives in a fantasy world?

RandomName2

It would be weird for 16 year olds to be considered adults in relation to choosing the government, but children in relation to everything else.

Ash.J.Williams

No

ScumLord wrote: »

I was more using the boyband as an example of teenage fanaticism. If the right cool person runs the teenagers that wouldn't normally vote could be called into action.



How would you know you live in a fantasy world until it's tested in the real world?

Would the classroom be the best place to discuss politics? Look how many of the current politicians are teachers. Discussing politics in school could be seen as aspiring politicians influencing ignorant voters. I mean ignorant not as an insult there, just that they don't have the information and are easily influenced.

Underating school kids there, they'll do as they feel, probably the opposite to what they're told!

ScumLord

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

What makes my world not real and yours real?

You can't seriously be suggesting that every single person between the ages of 16 and 18 lives in a fantasy world?

No, I asked how do you know you're not living in a fantasy world. I never said one way or another what your mind set was.

Jacks Smirking Revenge

I am 16 and yeah, as much as I would like to be able to vote, there's too many sheep in my age group for it to be a good idea to lower the age.

Peregrine

No

Jacks Smirking Revenge wrote: »

I am 16 and yeah, as much as I would like to be able to vote, there's too many sheep in my age group for it to be a good idea to lower the age.

But what makes you think they'll actually vote?

Just because there's idiots isn't a valid reason to not let others in the same category to vote. Going by that logic nobody would be allowed to vote

Teyla Emmagan

Should it f&ck, we'd end up with that One Direction fella as Taoiseach.

T-Maxx

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Churchill

Imagine having it with a 16yo...

gobnaitolunacy

T-Maxx wrote: »

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Churchill

Imagine having it with a 16yo...

'I hate you, it's SOOOOOO unfair'

*Then stomps off*

catallus

The voting age should be raised to 40.

super_furry

Nope. First political party to promise lower the age for buying alcohol would win a landslide election.

SmilingLurker

How about instead of age limits, limit the franchise based on other criteria?

E.g. taxpayers, retirees, active jobseekers, those unable to work. Get rid of non residents.

Getting rid of NEETs after a reasonable period? I think this would be difficult.

If you wanted to be controversial you could have literacy/numeracy/ educational level tests. I disagree with this BTW.

Limit people running for office so certain crimes and civil judgements are excluded e.g. non tax compliance barred for 10 years.

Overall the average 16 y.o. does not have enough life experience.

Then again upper age limit or competency criteria might be good too...

Gut feel, no. Keep it as is.

Amirani

SmilingLurker wrote: »

How about instead of age limits, limit the franchise based on other criteria?

E.g. taxpayers, retirees, active jobseekers, those unable to work. Get rid of non residents.

Getting rid of NEETs after a reasonable period? I think this would be difficult.

If you wanted to be controversial you could have literacy/numeracy/ educational level tests. I disagree with this BTW.

Limit people running for office so certain crimes and civil judgements are excluded e.g. non tax compliance barred for 10 years.

Overall the average 16 y.o. does not have enough life experience.

Then again upper age limit or competency criteria might be good too...

Gut feel, no. Keep it as is.

For the majority of cases, the age 18 filter will suffice; extra criteria will make it for difficult a system to manage. Perhaps there's a case to be made for allowing 16 year olds who are in full-time employment to apply for the ability to vote on a case-by-case basis.

However, I feel the system as exists is probably the best balance of fair and manageable.

Peregrine

No

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Should it f&ck, we'd end up with that One Direction fella as Taoiseach.

super_furry wrote: »

Nope. First political party to promise lower the age for buying alcohol would win a landslide election.

Well given that votes are cast in constituencies and there are only 110,000 16 and 17 year olds in the country altogether(2.4% of the overall population), decreasing the voting age to 16 won't see any massive changes in elections.

Take the Louth constituency for example:

143,272 people in the constituency as per Census 2011. Going by the national average of 2.4%, that's just 3439 16 and 17 year olds. Like I said, the number of 16 and 17 year olds in each constituency would be a trivial figure and won't affect any elections even if they all vote for some stupid thing which they won't.

RustyNut

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Should it f&ck, we'd end up with that One Direction fella as Taoiseach.

Couldn't be any worse than Inda.

NegativeCreep

No

I think I'll vote yes in the referendum just because I really don't think it'll make a huge difference anyway. If there's 16 year olds that want to vote then let them at it. There are issues regarding third level education and the likes that will directly affect them in the near future that they need to have their say about.

Rigor Mortis

I would be happy having a restricted extension of the mandate. 17 not 16 being the reduction in age. I think there is merit in bringing the age down but 16 is just a tad to young.

kowloon

The idea of punishing people for not voting is insane. People forced to vote aren't going to put any thought into their choice, completely undermining the people who have made well reasoned decisions. If a significant proportion of the electorate are just deciding on the flip of a coin it would make me even more apathetic.

As for a voting age of 16: as long as society deems 16 to be too young to partake in other adult activities such as drinking, why should they be considered responsible enough to vote?

Peregrine

No

kowloon wrote: »

As for a voting age of 16: as long as society deems 16 to be too young to partake in other adult activities such as drinking, why should they be considered responsible enough to vote?

Underaged drinking affects the brain, makes people take poor decisions and early alcohol makes them more likely to be alcohol dependent later in life.

Giving someone the ability to vote is giving the people who care enough a voice in what happens to them and who represents them in the system they're forced to live.


I don't see the connection?

Galwayguy35

I think 18 is ok, in fact maybe even still a bit too young because most of them probably don't even know who the Government Ministers are let alone the TDs they would be supposed to vote for.

Dostoevsky

mathie wrote: »

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.”

― Dante Alighieri, Inferno

Dante never said that. JFK wrongly attributed it to him in June 1963 and his misquote caught on (Source).

Reindeer

I think once you pay income or property taxes you should be able to register to vote, regardless of age.

JustAddWater

NiallSparky wrote: »

Mandatory voting is a load of horse****. People should have every right to choose not to vote.

I've also a right not to listen to the same people whinge and moan about the government

Dostoevsky

Lowering the age to 16 sounds like tokenism and "right-on" politics to me. It would be good for Sinn Féin and other perennial opposition parties, but the minute Sinn Féin is in government making decisions they're going to start losing much of that, and their existing, support base.

When all is said and done poor and marginalised sections of Irish society have only themselves to blame for the increasing divide between rich and poor here: if they voted they would be better defenders of their interests. They pose no threat, none at all.

The only people who seem to appreciate the importance of voting are OAPs, as the medical card issue demonstrated.

fergiesfolly

Someone mentioned earlier that people don't suddenly attain maturity upon reaching 18. And they're absolutely right.
Which is all the more reason to raise it to 21.Or maybe 25,30...50?

Alternatively, let the younger voters, vote in local elections from 16, as a way of introducing them to the electoral system. They're still at school and it could be used in the curriculum in some way. They might appreciate and respect the privilege and responsibility that comes with electing people to positions of power and take more care when doing so.

God knows, some of us don't!

BattleCorp

I'm voting for Jedward. Yay, go team Jedward.

Oh wait, no, change of mind. I'm voting for Bieber. He's so cute and his lyrics are "so good".

Nah not voting Bieber any more. He is so yesterday.

Now I'm voting for Liam Horan from One Erection. Ah hang on, Zane is nicer looking. Think I'll vote for him instead.





(Now I'm not saying all 16 year olds are like this, but yeah but no but yeah but no.)

kowloon

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

Underaged drinking affects the brain, makes people take poor decisions and early alcohol makes them more likely to be alcohol dependent later in life.

Giving someone the ability to vote is giving the people who care enough a voice in what happens to them and who represents them in the system they're forced to live.


I don't see the connection?

I was using drinking as an example. What I'm trying to get at is society deems someone to be an adult at 18, I think voting should be restricted to adults.

I don't think I'd be massively against it though. There are enough stupid adults making bad choices.

keeponhurling

ScumLord wrote: »

My fear would be If someone from the likes of boyzone or whatever the current equivalent is decided to run you'd have the majority of teenage girls voting for them regardless of their politics. That politician could just be the figurehead for the record industry influencing Irish law.

.

I genuinely think the same applies to adults.
Whatever politician shows an interest in the things you are interested in will usually get your vote.

Whether it's fixing the pothole on the road outside your house or whatever.

I'd say if somebody like, say, Brian O'Driscoll or Daniel O'Donnell ran for election, he'd get a disproportionately high number of votes from rugby fans or D'OD music fans respectively, of all ages.