Some high school students would consider themselves involved in politics and ready to vote. Others would say that no person under the age of 18 should ever be allowed to vote. Ultimately it does not seem wise to allow 16 year olds the opportunity to vote in local and state elections. In the Nebraska Legislature, currently the bill LR284CA seeks to bestow the right to vote in local and state elections on 16 year olds. But we should not allow a large chunk of adolescents to participate in the democratic process of voting.
The mental maturity of high school students just doesn’t meet the bar required to make such a difficult decision. Not only do they lack maturity, but they also lack the life experience necessary to make informed decisions when voting. They haven’t had the experience of being an adult navigating the world, but have only experienced it from the perspective of a child. They cannot make informed judgments about things that they have not experienced or gone through themselves.
Not only should we consider the children who are actually voting, but also politically associated organizations and how they will change their methodology in reaching teens. Extending the voting age to high school-aged young adults would encourage political organizations to attempt to extend their reach to a younger demographic. Highly impressionable students don’t need these influences at such a young age. They should be working on developing their political opinions on their own time and researching their views to extend their knowledge without outside influences.
The argument that allowing 16 year olds to vote in local and state elections will introduce them into the democratic process before they start voting in National elections is correct, but high schoolers already have an introduction into the political world. All seniors are required to take an American government class, which teaches them about how the government operates and the history behind our government and democratic processes. Not only that, but high schoolers who actually care about politics would be informed and introduced into the political sphere already.
Though if you’re a student who is passionate about your politics, don’t fret. There are many alternatives to getting involved in politics and engaging in them early on. If you wanted something that you could do after school, you could join a club such as Young Republicans Club or Young Democrats Club. This can help you to deepen your knowledge about your associated political party and get a feel for politics before you are legally allowed to vote.
When it comes to getting engaged outside of school, the options are plentiful. One option is volunteering at local, state, or national campaigns. You can also donate to political causes and/or campaigns that you support. If you don’t want to volunteer or donate, you can always spend your time researching causes you care about, informing yourself about those causes, and informing others about what you’ve learned. You can prepare yourself to eventually become a first-time voter by informing yourself about politics and the workings of our government in order to make the decisions that best align with your beliefs and values. Let turning 18 be your time to vote for the first time.
