California Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell), the chair of the Assembly Elections Committee, has introduced ACA 10. It would change the voting age from 18 to 17. Because it is a constitutional amendment, if it passes the legislature, the voters would vote on it in 2018.
Obviously the Assembly member has not talked to any high school teachers regarding maturity and suitability of 17-year olds to vote.
The Green Party of California platform calls for the right to vote for 16 year old Californians
http://www.cagreens.org/platform/electoral-reform
Voter Registration
– Enact same day voter registration
– Lower the voter registration age to 16, with automatic voter registration via public schools
– Enact Permanent Portable Voter Registration, so that once eligible citizens are on a state‘s voter rolls, they remain registered and their records move with them so long as they continue to reside in the state
I would support voting at 16 only if all other benchmarks of adulthood were changed a well (draft, drinking, tried as an adult in court, etc…)
Brandon… Agreed, but conscription needs to go away. It IS involuntary servitude no matter what the Supreme Court says. I personally think ALL age limits need to come down to 16.
Gene… That’s because they’re not given any responsibilities to force them to ‘grow up’. Something like this would. Notice that most people don’t achieve a level of “maturity” until after they’re forced to take on responsibilities. If anything the government is holding teens back, arbitrarily, by saying they ‘can’t do’ or ‘shouldn’t do’ things. It breeds a mediocrity into youth, that says “you’re not old enough”… so metaphorically they get knocked on their asses and choose not to do anything. People don’t learn anything without experience. Learning is NOT sitting in a seat and starring at a teaching lecturing. You only learn theory, not practicality. 99.9% of people learn practical implementations and understand things by physically doing.
It’s in the same vein as being told “you’re not good enough, so don’t bother”. Or “you’re a girl, you can’t do that. That’s for boys” Or “You’re a guy, you shouldn’t be going to school for culinary arts. That’s for girls.” Stop telling people they can’t, and they will ‘do’. Keep telling them they can’t, and they won’t. Give them the opportunity to prove themselves, and they’ll take it. Keep restricting it long enough and they’ll keep saying “I’m not going to bother then”.
17 year olds are eligible for conscription in the United States under the Militia Act of 1903, which provides a second vehicle for conscription under Federal law outside of the Selective Service Act (18 is the minimum age undere the Selective Service Act). Conscripts under the Militia Act of 1903 cannot generally be deployed overseas under the strict letter of the law, which is why the law hasn’t really been used for that purpose since it was established.
If anything the voting age should be raised, not lowered.
This George Soros backed amendment, is only to enable more young minded, easily persuaded children to follow a Democratic Party initiative. Keep requirements as is,or raise to 21.
I’m not sure age really has anything to do with level of maturity. Individuals are just that… individual.
California can establish it’s own military and conscription 17 year olds.
Yes, because raising the voting age, Sue and Wesli, will really help younger people feel involved in the political process. People 18 and younger are still getting screwed by the political system we have in this country, and instead of giving them more access to vote and help shape the country they live in, you want to take rights away from everyone under 21 to vote? That is downright insanity. Fred Karger said it in 2012, and Kucinich has said it as well. I see no good reason at all that 16 year olds, who usually have licenses and part-time jobs, shouldn’t be able to partake in our political process.