Vote at 16

When I was 16 I had a strong interest in politics, I watched the Parliament Channel on cable, I listened to the Today program and read political stories in the papers.

Obviously not every 16/17 year old shares my interest in politics but then again I’m 25 now and am still in a position where very few of my peers share my interest in politics so it’s not just 16 year olds.

In fact I seem to remember more of my friends wanting to talk politics at 16 than I do now. I think this has something to do with the fact that at 16 it’s the issues that matter whereas at 25 party politics starts to cloud judgments.

It’s interesting to see more and more areas around the British Isles looking seriously at lowering the voting age to 16. The ever forward thinking Isle of Man bit the bulletin and reduced the voting age last year and 16/17 year olds had the opportunity to vote in the most recent election there.

Now a Guernsey politician is suggesting the island reduces the voting age to 16 and it’s been mooted more than once in Jersey. It’s an ever increasingly common issue in England and a number of countries around the world have 16 as their voting age already.

In the British Isles people can work and as such pay taxes at 16 so why shouldn’t they be allowed to have a say in how their tax money is spent. No taxation without representation.

A couple of interesting comments on the BBC Jersey Vote at 16 feature.

Lukw
Im 17. I think its unfair that they feel im responsible enough to rent a house, work full time, pay full taxes.. but not have a say on what my money is being paid on, its one or another, you cannot tax us as adults and treat us like children. Its out of order, its sick.

Michael Taylor
I think that if you can’t vote at 16 you can’t be taxed at 16 and personly, I dont want to wait an extra two years because your level of maturity will not be enough different. I want to vote at 16 too. Or not have any government involvement. Life Should be a little fair.

Gwion
No taxation without representation. I’m 16 and if I had no interest in politics I wouldn’t be reading this now. It annoys me how the government thinks that our voice is less valuable than 18 year olds, but still make us pay tax, and allow us to join the armed forces. Surely if we’re ready to die we’re ready to vote?

There is a vote on that feature as well where 66% of the 140 or so people voting feel that it should be set at 16. Also included this quote posted on the Newsround Vote at 16 features “I don’t mind either way, vote and taxes at 16 or vote and taxes at 18″.

That’s the biggest sticking point. If you expect someone to contribute to the public purse and pay taxes then you should also give them the opportunity to vote for (or against) the people that decide how that money is spent.

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