Men in military service who turned 19 during World War I were eligible to vote in 1918, regardless of age, under the People`s Representation Act of 1918, which also allowed some women over 30 to vote. The Representation of the People (Equal Suffrage) Act of 1928,[45] lowered the voting age for women to 21. Some states also allow 17-year-olds to participate in primaries or presidential caucuses. These reports are not included on this site. Prior to 1970, U.S. citizens had to be 21 to vote. But Congress passed the 26th Amendment to the Constitution in March 1971, and states quickly ratified it. In July 1971, President Richard M. Nixon signed the bill. However, critics argue that young teens do not participate in elections and lack the skills to vote high-quality. According to one poll, the majority of Americans oppose allowing teenagers under 18 to vote.
In fact, 75% of registered voters are against the right to vote for 17-year-olds. Meanwhile, 84% are against letting 16-year-olds vote. Defending the right to vote isn`t easy, but we`ve compiled a list of talking points you can use, whether you`re talking to friends and family or writing a speech you want to give at your city council meeting. We have also included academic articles and persuasive essays for those who want further analysis. And check out our top ten reasons to lower the voting age! The United States is not alone in requiring citizens to be 18 years old to vote. Most countries in the world also have a voting age of 18. Austria, Brazil, Cuba and Nicaragua are among the countries where 16-year-olds are allowed to vote; And a handful of countries allow 17-year-olds to vote. In some countries, voting is still not allowed before the age of 20 or 21. any person who has not been found incompetent and who has completed grade six in a public school or a private school accredited by a state or territory, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, where instruction is primarily in English, has sufficient literacy, comprehension and intelligence to participate in an election. Measures to lower the voting age to 16 were successful in each of the three British Crown Dependencies from 2006 to 2008. The Isle of Man was the first to amend its law when it lowered the voting age for its general election to 16 in July 2006, with the House of Keys approving the decision by a vote of 19 to 4. [67] An amendment to a bill extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (H.R.
4249) extended the right to vote in national, state, and local elections to citizens 18 years of age and older. Until now, the determination of the voting age has been the responsibility of each State. Despite signing the law (P.L. 91-285), President Richard Nixon issued a statement in June 1970 questioning the constitutionality of the amendment, saying: “While I strongly support the 18-year vote, I believe—along with most of the nation`s leading constitutional experts—that Congress does not have the power to enact it by simple law, rather, it requires a constitutional amendment. This paved the way for a review by the Department of Justice and a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. Research conducted by the YouGov survey in 2018 shows that while the public is still opposed to it, there is growing support for franchise renewal. In May 2019, all major parties except the Conservatives lowered the age to 16. Some have argued that the Conservatives are hypocritical not to support this because they allow 16-year-olds to participate in their leadership elections. It is also argued that the approach of all major parties is self-serving, as younger voters are more likely to support left-wing parties and remain in the EU, and less likely to support right-wing parties and leave the EU. [58] George M. Detroit`s Montross sent the letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Emanuel Celller to express outrage at the decision to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.
He questioned the legality of the action, saying the Constitution had been violated “deliberately and flagrantly” by those who had sworn to protect it. Initially, teens may not be interested in registering to vote. Nevertheless, you should encourage them to register. The right to vote is one of the most important freedoms offered by this country and should not be taken for granted. Also talk to teens about the importance of becoming an educated voter. Encourage them to think carefully about the issues and candidates on the ballot. But perhaps one of the most exciting things 18-year-olds can do is exercise their right to vote. They will finally have a say in what happens in the country.
The key, of course, is to sign up. On Monday 5 March 2018, the Maltese Parliament voted unanimously in favour of a constitutional amendment lowering the official voting age from 18 to 16, making Malta the second EU state to lower the voting age to 16. [41] The voting age is the minimum age set by law that a person must reach before qualifying to vote in a public election. Today, the most common voting age is 18; However, the voting age is currently 16 to 25 (see list below). Most countries have set a minimum voting age, which is often set out in their constitutions. Voting is compulsory in a number of countries, while it is optional in most countries. Today, many miners` rights activists advocate lowering the voting age to 17 or even 16. They argue that this will give teens the chance to get involved in politics early on and create lifelong voters. When young people express opinions that contradict yours, don`t argue. Show them that you are a good listener and that you value their opinion. Part of becoming their own person may involve thinking differently from you. The earlier teens start thinking about these things, the more likely they are to vote when they`re old enough.
The Scottish National Party conference voted unanimously on 27 October 2007 in favour of a policy to lower the voting age to 16 (the age of majority in Scotland) and a campaign to transfer the necessary powers to the Scottish Parliament. [59] In the United States, the debate about lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 began during World War II and intensified during the Vietnam War, when most conscripts were too young to vote and the image of young men being forced to risk their lives in the military without voting privileges. successfully lobbied lawmakers to lower the voting age nationally and in many states.