The election is coming up in a matter of months (it will be here before you know it) and I realised: gosh darnit, I'm not going to get to vote this year.
So, here's the question: do you think that the right to vote should be limited to certain aged individuals? Should the age limit be raised? Lowered?
I think 18 is a fair age to start voting. Any earlier may be risky due to the amount of kids under 18 who do not now anything about politics in comparison to those that do.
Any earlier may be risky due to the amount of kids under 18 who do not now anything about politics in comparison to those that do.
That would be the reason for the test. The issues being debated today will affect my generation. Why shouldn't I get a say in who is making those decisions?
That would be the reason for the test. The issues being debated today will affect my generation. Why shouldn't I get a say in who is making those decisions?
They tried the whole test thing back in the reconstruction era. They called them literacy tests. It prevented African Americans and poor whites from voting. Nowadays, I'm pretty sure its highly illegal to have to pass a test to vote.
t prevented African Americans and poor whites from voting. Nowadays, I'm pretty sure its highly illegal to have to pass a test to vote.
Except these tests would only be administered to those under the age of 18 and above the age of 13/14. Once you reached 18 you could vote no matter how dumb you are, and how little you pay attention to the issues. The test's objective would be to allow those who are not yet of legal voting age to vote if they are deemed to fully understand the issues.
Except these tests would only be administered to those under the age of 18 and above the age of 13/14. Once you reached 18 you could vote no matter how dumb you are, and how little you pay attention to the issues. The test's objective would be to allow those who are not yet of legal voting age to vote if they are deemed to fully understand the issues.
Like I said earlier kids are more easily influenced than an adult. Just because some kid knows the issues doesn't mean they're a free thinker.
I think that 18 is just the right age, like what was already said, you are considered an adult at that age being able to smoke, gamble, sign contracts, and serve in the military. Also the whole thing with the test would be too hard to manage, what questions would they ask on there? How could you make it so the questions aren't in the least bit biased?
There could be a test for younger people to see what they know about politics and how they could be influenced and if they pass they could get a special license to vote.
would they also get a little smiley sticker on their paper and a lollipop if they passed
1) I'm 17 and will be voting in the VA Primaries this year!! (Probably for Ron Paul) -- VA allows me to register and vote if I'll be 18 before the general election, which is cool I think.
As for having a 'test' -- It's probably unconstitutional if we give it to all Americans. Although I would love such a test, because some people are stupid. [I could go into detail but I think we all get the concept of people who just stare at their choice of conservative/liberal media and vote for whoever they saw on TV the most].
There could be a test for younger people to see what they know about politics and how they could be influenced and if they pass they could get a special license to vote.
Aside from the age of 18 being the age of legal adulthood... I'm very sure that parents could easily get their kids to vote for their choice -- Pretty much making it a double-vote. [I understand that most kids end up with the political orientation of their parents as it is, but this is not always the case and a 14 year old is more more easily influenced to do as 'daddy says' than an 18 year old, even in such an independent activity like voting].
I think the whole "18 years of age" thing is pretty dumb. I mean, everybody that was born in America is automatically an American citizen.I also have to agree with blk2860, that there should be a voting rights test so that the next (insert political figure here) isn't elected because he/she has amazing hair, charm, etc.
There could be a test for younger people to see what they know about politics and how they could be influenced and if they pass they could get a special license to vote.
Aside from the age of 18 being the age of legal adulthood... I'm very sure that parents could easily get their kids to vote for their choice -- Pretty much making it a double-vote. [I understand that most kids end up with the political orientation of their parents as it is, but this is not always the case and a 14 year old is more more easily influenced to do as 'daddy says' than an 18 year old, even in such an independent activity like voting].
why should you limit a test to children, i dont think you should be alowed to vote unless you can prove you have knowledge of what your voting for... also i think the voting age should reduced to 16. because a lot of young people have strong views on politics and the government runs their life just as much if not more than any adult. but, they would still only get to vote with alot of knowledge of what they were voting for.
A test? Doesn't make sense. Really, at first it makes sense but if you think about it, do you really think this is feasable? I mean who would make the questions? What kind of questions? Who would correct, who supervise so as to keep the questions up to date? I don't see how this could work, political matters are matters of opinion, not of mathematics.
Plus, do you really think only because you know more about who's who in the political parquet, you are less manipulated? Get off your cloud. Those who don't care, don't vote; those who care, know what they're looking for, and even if they get manipulated, why should they be taken away their right to vote? Are we getting backwards in time, where women had no right of voting because men thought they could not make the right decisions? Restricting a right such as the one to vote, implies more problems than it would solve. Even if the problems are potential.
The age limit? Well, some may argue that 16s are less mature than 18s, but probably it doesn't make a lot of difference because again, those under 18 who don't care about politics probably wouldn't vote, while those who care about it, and might know a bit more, would vote.
No it's just if someone puts "What?" or "Random" they would definetly not get the license.
I think a more feasible question relating to this would be "what are the main political parties of the United States (answer 3)?" Political parties are listed, but the reasons why are all matters of opinion. Democrat and Republican are two main political parties of the United States, but there are dozens of others.
btw i would like to put this topic a bit further. we are talking now about the age to starts voting.
but what do you guys think of the idea that elder people will lose right to vote. for 2 reasons. when you get older (say 75+) you are less busy whit what is actualy going on in the world. the world get's smaller and smaller they say. and because elder people are used to often forget the most easy things. they are unable to keep up whit politics anymore.
it's not that i support it, i just wanna know what your idea is about this matter.
