Voting for minors?

Question

This question is for minors who wish they could vote in the 2008 presidential elections. Please give the answer if you wish you could vote but are 16 or 17. Please tell me if you wish you could vote or don't care about voting even if minors were allowed to vote. After that, give your reason why minors (16-17 years old) should be allowed to vote or should not be allowed to vote.

Answer 1

I would wish to vote for two reasons 1. so my voice can be herd. and 2. just because older people are more mature that does not mean that they can't make mistakes, and since we are a part of America we should be also be herd as the voice of America.

Answer 2

I am a minor, I wish I could vote, but I do not think the restriction should be alleviated.  Kids are stupid and won't make the right choices for the nation.

Answer 3

I'm not a minor, but I did want to pop in to say I wish minors could vote, not just in the 2008 presidential elections, but all of them.  The 18-year-old voting age came about as a result of the Vietnam War draft - 18-year-olds could be drafted to fight and die for their country, but could not vote to elect the officials that sent them off to fight and die.  Protests resulted in the 26th Amendment.

It is arguable (mind you, I do not advocate this view) that 16 and 17 year olds do not have the knowledge or individual opinions that would render them able members of the electorate.  For many, government decisions do not affect them - they don't pay taxes, for one - and they are instead buffered by their parents.  Additionally, the 18-25 year old age group has the lowest voter turnout of any age group, indicating that very few 16 and 17 year olds would even be bothered to vote.

I think that the 16 and 17 year olds who care enough to educate themselves and nurture a passion for involvement in the political system should be given the opportunity to participate by voting.  Few of them would actually do it, but those that did, in my opinion, would likely be more knowledgeable than many of their adult counterparts.