Many organisations are campaigning for the UK voting age to be reduced to 16. Their argument is that it would assist in engaging with young people and make their voice heard.

More details: Votes at 16

Would this help the situation or are 16 & 17-year-olds too immature?

Should the voting age remain at 18? Some people think it should even be raised to 21.

Heck no.

Voting should be 25. lowering it to 16 just means you have more uninformed voters, and 16 year olds don't comprehend the ramifications of their selections in politics. They just vote the way their parents, teachers, peers coach them to vote.

It depends - As you are deemed old enough to get married at 16 you could say you should be allowed to vote.

But it's the same old story- some 16year olds are mature beyond their years and are intelligent enough to understand politics - some however, are immature and have no idea of anything..........

Everybody should have a say on matters that affect them. f you are going to asbo 16 year olds, disperse them, ban them from wearing hoodies in certain places, change their education system every year , then yes, allow them to vote on it. Allow them to vote for positive change in their lives.

I cannot see any positive results for the country at all. I believe young votes get in the way and might cloud the situation.

Those youngsters that can read, concentrate, and form an opinion are in the minority even at 18 years of age. The rest, if they bother to, will just vote the way the Metro newspaper tells them too, disabling democracy.

If they were voting on Britain's got talent, or where to buy the best fast food, I would trust them. (Please remember all my 4 children are now no longer teenagers) but for real decisions, I don't think their votes would necessarily add to the intellectual decision.

I said 21, but realistically, it should be 30.

Anyway, I only started voting regularly once I became Swiss (i.e. 4x/Yr), never found it worthwhile in the US (2x in 20 years).

Tom

Bloody hell Tom, that's the first time in 20 months you have agreed with me! Care to edit it while you can?

I think the age at which one can vote is immaterial.

A lot of the British populace (of legal voting age), is completely disinterested and disenfranchised by contemporary politics, that many don't realise their vote anyway - especially the young.

Although percentage turnout of Swiss voters isn't great either, I think with the system employed here, where policy and legislation has to be approved by the voting public, in order to progress, that at least people feel more involved in the process, and that their vote may (collectively) be more influential.

Add to that, that it's not the same 2 parties battling and bickering to the detriment of anything constructive being achieved (as in decades and decades in UK), then you might actually spark a slight interest in the young voter.

Do people still vote in the United Kingdom?

I mean, doesn't that involve putting down the can of Special Brew, turning off the telly and actually giving a damn?

Well they allow Daily Mail readers to vote, so why not 16 year olds?

Not all young people in the UK are thick!

Make voting compulsory, I don't care what age. 18 is OK.

PLEASE read it again. I said the thickies are in the majority. I didn't say all were thick. Maybe you could expand your thoughts?

There are a handful of people who now live outside the midlands....


I would like the voting age reduced to 12. Most 12 year olds I've met are idiots. Most 30 year olds I've met are just as stupid, but they believe they're wise with age. Everyone who is even slightly able should have the vote. It's not like the Conservative manifesto is beyond an infant anyway...

You are old and thick. Now how do you like them apples?

Economisto is spot on. It's not like people vote for rational reasons, anyway, is it?

Voting is an irrational, emotional process just like pretty much everything else we do. Why deny the honestly irrational - children - from having the same rights as those who are deluded and irrational?