Discussion 5–Lowering the voting age to increase participation? (Due May 02)
Program-Level Objectives met with this assignment:
Communication
Critical Thinking Skills
Personal Responsibility
Social Responsibility
Course-Level Objectives met with this assignment:
Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.
Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.
Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the federal government.
Analyze the election process.
Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens
Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics
Activity for Assessment:
For this discussion, we are going to consider lowering the voting age in an effort to raise voter turnout and engagement. Read the articles and do any extra research as necessary and then answer the following questions:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/06/learning/the-case-for-lowering-the-voting-age.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/02/28/the-surprising-consequence-of-lowering-the-voting-age/?utm_term=.daa7b65c976b
http://theconversation.com/how-lowering-the-voting-age-to-16-could-save-democracy-93567
1.) What are the arguments in favor of lowering the voting age? Against? Explain.
2.) Being a young person (or when you were a young person), would you have participated in voting if you had been given the legal ability to do so? Do you think it would have impacted your interest in politics?
3.) What are your overall thoughts about this issue, given what you are read in the provided links above? Could this save democracy or will this just lead to more apathy and non-participation by an even larger group of potential voters?
Please be sure to meet the requirements for posting in the discussion board. For more specifics, please refer to to the directions provided in the Start Here tab in eCampus. Do not forget your works cited. Since the above-mentioned web links/articles are all required for this discussion, you must include them in your works cited. Any additional research must be included in your sources as well.
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Lowering the voting age to increase participation
Lowering the voting age from eighteen years to sixteen years has been debated in several forums in different countries. Those in favor of the subject argue that it is good because it gives the young people a chance to be involved in decision making as well as adding their rights. On the other hand, the opposers argue that the young people below eighteen years lack maturity and experience thus depend on adults in decision making. However, it is good to involve young people in political issues like voting because it exposes them to a lifelong habit.
1.) What are the arguments in favor of lowering the voting age? Against? Explain.
To start with, lowering the voting age would encourage young voters to vote thus make them feel engaged and involved in political decision making (Kathryn, 2018). Additionally, young people would make their parents turn out for voting in large numbers in that they be a good example to their children. Moreover, young voters are likely to vote frequently and make voting a lifelong habit. On the other hand, sixteen years is viewed as a young age that lack maturity, lack political knowledge, irresponsible and incompetent leading to depending on adults or parents for advice.
2.) Being a young person (or when you were a young person), would you have participated in voting if you had been given the legal ability to do so? Do you think it would have impacted your interest in politics?
As a young person and with the legal ability to vote I would participate in all the election processes. Participating in the voting process impacts interests in politics, therefore, it is of great value for those that have the legal ability to vote (Jen, 2018). For example at the age of sixteen, an individual is able to choose what is wrong and right, this will be able to make correct political decisions without a lot of influence from parents and age mates.
3.) What are your overall thoughts about this issue, given what you are read in the provided links above? Could this save democracy or will this just lead to more apathy and non-participation by an even larger group of potential voters?
Although there is the fear of raising the number of potential voters who never vote by lowering the voting age, there are some great impacts that are imposed by the same (Tannen, 2018)). For instance, giving the young voters the right to vote will be democratic and will bring the political gap to close. Thereby, the young voters will have a sense of belonging and will look forward to future voting sessions. More so, lowering the voting age will enhance democracy as it will widen the democratic space as it increases the number of people involved in de3cision making.
In conclusion, allowing young voters to vote empowers them to handle different issues maturely. It makes them responsible, competent and have knowledge in different situations. In this case, they also have political interests that need to be expressed.
References
Jens O. D. (2018). The surprising consequence of lowering the voting age. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/02/28/the-surprising-consequence-of-lowering-the-voting-age/ history essay paper writers
Karthryn Z. (2018). The Case for Lowering the Voting Age. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/06/learning/the-case-for-lowering-the-voting-age.html
Tannen M. (2018). How lowering the voting age to 16 could save democracy. The Conversation. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/how-lowering-the-voting-age-to-16-could-save-democracy-93567
