Reduce Voting Age in Ireland?

eire4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123644503#Comment_123644503

I was thinking the same as I read that. Personally, I think lowering the voting age to 16 would be a great idea hopefully getting younger people more engaged in the politics and running of the country.

Iscreamkone

Why stop at 16?

How about 14 or 12?

When you say “that’s silly”, I’ll say “you started it”

Hotblack Desiato

A pointless change

Many 16 or 17 year olds wouldn't get to vote anyway as there may not be an election of any type during those two years, never mind a general election.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123847060#Comment_123847060

That's a nonsensical argument. There will always be a cohort of 16 and 17 year olds available to vote in an election if the age was lowered.

magicbastarder

what's on the curriculum in secondary school these days which would be valuable for a budding voter? e.g. a history of political systems, an understanding of how to evaluate claims made about public policy or statistics, etc.?

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123847221#Comment_123847221

But others are saying that they will become politically engaged. If there's no election during that time that's unlikely because they won't be voting whether the voting age is changed or not.

The supposed benefit of this change is reduced

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123847235#Comment_123847235

Most adults have no knowledge or understanding of these topics yet we do not deny them the right to vote.

Most adults in this country vote for a certain party because their family always have and always will. I don't think expanding to teenagers will lower the bar

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123847060#Comment_123847060

You could have said the same about reducing it to 21, and it would still have been a terrible argument.

Also, there are rarely periods of two years without a poll. Going over the last 15 years:

We've had national votes in 2011 (GE/Ref), 2012 (Ref), 2013 (Ref), 2014 (LE/EE), 2015 (Ref), 2016 (GE), 2018 (Ref), 2019 (LE/EE/Ref), 2020 (GE) and 2024 (GE/LE/EE/Ref). There would likely have been more referendums between 2020 and 2024 had there not been a pandemic.

There were also by-elections in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2021

Hotblack Desiato

@timmyntc

Most adults in this country vote for a certain party because their family always have and always will. 

Some, yes. Most?

How is 2011 explicable then?

@L1011

Well at least 18-21 is a three year period 😀

Under-18s are not adults. We don't let them do things which are reserved for adults. I've still never heard any good argument for changing this.

By-elections are only in one constituency so unless they topple a government, are irrelevant to almost everyone

eire4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123848878#Comment_123848878

Totally agree. Nor do we have an upper age limit where we say someone is too old to vote. Expanding and growing democracy in Ireland is IMHO a positive.

magicbastarder

That question was what sort of education kids get in school. The answer to my question didn't answer the question in any way.

Hotblack Desiato

Sure why would we want kids doing useful stuff in school when they could be doing religion as an exam subject instead

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123849070#Comment_123849070

Making bad arguments to challenge an apparent lack of good arguments is not a valid basis. You made a bad argument.

In an average 2 year period in Ireland, a 16-18 year old will get a chance to vote on something, so your argument is nullified.