This morning, The Australian reported that the Labor Party is considering introducing non-compulsory voting for 16-year-olds as part of its second white paper.
I think it’s a great idea to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote. We should, as a society, allow as many people as possible to vote, so the voting age should be set at the lowest level where people can make a informed, educated decision (although many adults don’t make informed decisions, so I don’t know why we would expect anything more from teenagers).
16 year olds have almost reached adulthood and have a lot of responsibility, with many having jobs and most having an interest in government through their education.
Young people are a very weak voting bloc, partly due to the fact that most young people can’t vote. Teenagers’ interests and political beliefs often don’t align with their parents and we can’t expect parents to represent their older children’s interests in the political process. It strikes me that most policy regarding education and youth is aimed more at parents than the actual children affected.
Although I don’t generally support compulsory voting, I find it bizarre that we would treat teenagers differently in this regard. It’s true plenty of teenagers might be unenthusiastic about voting, but all of these arguments against letting teenagers vote can be applied to letting anyone vote, considering many voters are apathetic, unengaged and uninformed. It’s not a good reason to deprive them of a vote.
From a political perspective, lowering the voting age undoubtedly helps the Labor Party and the Greens. But I think it would be more significant in shifting policy to areas more favourable to youth. And the idea of state education ministers having to consider the impact of their policy on voting Year 11s and 12s is revolutionary.
So what do you think? Should we lower the minimum voting age?
Update: I did an interview this evening for ABC News Radio Drive. You can listen to it here.
It certainly has merit, but to be honest I think the fact that such a change would clearly favour one side of politics would kill it. It would be just too easy to paint it as a power grab by Labor.
Perhaps if it was introduced in combination with voluntary voting, it might attract by-partisan support.
Many 16/17 year olds pay taxes, so they should have a say (via an election) to express how they would like those tax dollars spent.
Is that not fair enough?
With four year terms it means that someone could be almost 22 before they get a vote for state parliament. Bring on a minimum voting age of 16 but make it compulsory.
@MDMConnell
We should never have four year terms; we should have three year fixed terms. And we should retain compulsory voting* – it’s one of the precious jewels of our democracy that everyone votes. That people who want to vote don’t miss out because the electoral commission didn’t realise how many were going to show up this election (a la the US experience).
I’m open to voluntary voting for 16 and 17 year olds, but am concerned it might weaken support for the much more important compulsory voting.
*Compulsory attendance at the desk to have your name signed off, technically – you don’t have to actually cast a valid vote.
Yes, though not compulsary for me.
When I was that age I was interested in politics, but many aren’t and shouldn’t be forced to vote (this could also be applied to adults, but I think once you reach a certain age you have a duty to your country, if you will).
It will inevitably be seen as political because of the progressive/activist nature of 16yo (ones interested in politics in any case), but it’s not because it favours my side of politics that I want it. I just think it’s more fair.
I’m for it.
As a youth worker in the mid-late 70s we agitated to lower the voting age because youth issues (housing, income security, education, training and jobs) were’nt/aren’t on the political radar.
Since then, i’ve realised that even more importantly it would have helped to ensure that we didn’t screw-up the earth quite as badly as we have.
In many ways, young people see the future more clearly than the rest of us and as such their voice should be heard.
Voluntary for the first 5 or 10 years makes non-threatening sense
Yes, I think it’s a good idea.
You could maybe neutralise the political impact by raising the compulsory age to 21 at the same time as you introduce voluntary voting from 16.
I think it’s a good idea too, but I would like to see it combined with the introduction of more civics education in high schools, so that these new voters actually get more of an opportunity to make an informed decision.
Where else in the world has it actually been done? (forgotten)
Philosophically, its probably less taxation (no taxation without representation) but being subject to criminal law (no possibility of incarceration without the representation choosing the lawmakers) that presents the stronger argument. But emotionally, it is wrong for a parent (age of consent 16) not to be able to vote.
Time to bring out that West Wing episode where Toby gets interested in child suffrage.
4
Due to the secret ballot there is no law against casting an informal vote but it is a legal requirement to get a ballot paper and put it in the box. You can be fined for getting your name marked off and then walking off.
I don’t think this should occur, I think little should change from the status quo beyond electoral roll reform.
Nice interview Ben. Congrats.
Absolutely – thanks for pushing it for us! It came up at AYF, everyone there supported it but Kate Ellis never seemed to talk about it again. If they feel we are responsible enough to give our opinion in forums, then surely we are responsible enough to cast a ballot.
16 appears to be a little young, however, if they are working and paying into the system, they have a right to be heard.
Top interview Ben. You were spot on in all your replies. Let’s hope this can get up. Are Xenephon and Fielding likely to support it do you know?
Xenophon maybe, Fielding no.
The whole campaign could be, ‘if Steve Fielding is allowed to vote, why shouldn’t your 16yo be?’
Did this story get coverage on any of the metropolitan TV news bulletins? It didn’t on the ABC (in NSW at least), but what about the commercial stations?
Fascinating to see this come up. AYPAC many years ago proposed this in a report (which I can’t find), and a Committee in the WA Parliament recommended an Inquiry into it in 2001 (http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Parliament/commit.nsf/(Report+Lookup+by+Com+ID)/22155D7A1F3DC40048256B100031FD84/$file/ln.elm.011124.rpf.008.xx.a.pdf) – this came out of the electoral reform process in 2001 and was also part of the Greens (WA) electoral reform platform. It is also contained in the current Australian Greens policies
– http://greens.org.au/node/766
and I remember the Democrats having policy (and making noises) about this as well.
A greater proportion of 16 year olds would live in family households than the general population so Fielding would be opposing increasing the electoral influence of family households.
I assumed you all knew about this, but maybe some don’t.
The Greens NSW had a private members’ bill on lowering the voting age to 16 debated in the upper house in 2005. It was defeated on the 2nd reading with Labor, the Coalition, Christian Dems, Shooters, Outdoor Rec and One Nation (actually I think Oldfield had quit One Nation by then) voting against it. The Greens, Democrat, Unity and Peter Breen voted for it.
I ponder that there are many 16 year olds who have the ability to make better informed decisions than many adults.
I can cope with 16 year olds voting but NOT DRIVING CARS!
I don’t know about the regular news bulletins, but it did come up on the 7pm project.
Ah, thanks.
Wonder what could be done to get some more momentum behind this now, and is that a good idea (might it actually go through, maybe after the next election when the numbers in the Senate should be more favourable)?
Wonder if Getup! might get behind it?
I believe 16 is a little young, so why not start at 17 when most are in Year 12. I also see that it could affect compulsory voting.
The Labor Parties, ALP, DLP, and the Greens would probably support it but the conservative side LNP would probably appose it
DLP? Just because they have had a fluke into the LCV does not mean they are hugely relevant.
Excellent to see so much interest in this issue. It is one that should be debated at length. Having been involved in politics at different levels for a long time, even since I was about 15, this issue has been an important one to me. As a teacher now, I have even more of a keen insight into this issue. I thought that maybe with age my view would change.
There are many facets to it that I will summarise:
1. 16/17 y.o are not mature enough to make such a decision.
I would argue that to a large extent this is true. However, I would argue the same for 18-25 y.o’s. There are many underaged that are well informed to make a decision. They cannot be denied the right to vote.
2. Should it be voluntary or involuntary
This is a big and complicated issue. Should 16/17 y.o’s be given the option to not vote while adults must vote. Personally, I think it should be voluntary for 16/17 y.o’s.
However, there are many who want to confuse separate issues of underage voting rights and compulsory voting. Compulsory voting must remain and we cannot allow the uderage voting rights to be a catalyst for campaign to have voluntary voting made universal.
3. Making INFORMED decisions
I have heard arguments that there needs to be more civics taught in school so they can make informed decision when voting. I totally agree. As a teacher, and within the restraints of the NSW DET Code of Conduct, I as often as I can practically teach students the nature of government and the voting system.
However, the same must be said for adults of the general public. Who reading this blog has come across someone who does not understand preferencing (or the need to number each box etc) while we’ve been handing out HTV’s on election day. I suspect we all have. There needs to be an education campaign on how voting works in Australia.
As far as I can see there is no theoretical or moral reason not to let 16/17 y.o’s the opportunity to vote. The only argument against it is a purely political reason, which in my opinion does not justify disagreeing with the idea.
An option for dealing with the voluntary/compulsory issue could be to have voluntary enrolment for 16 & 17 year-olds, but compulsory voting once enrolled.
It was wrong of me to link civics education to the voting age debate, as doing so invokes and reinforces the arguments against lowering the voting age. They should be treated as separate issues.
Nick, I fundamentally disagree. It would discourage people from enrolling.
I would argue that civics education is closely linked. If 16 year-olds can vote, then we have a much stronger motivation to make sure they are properly educated about our political system.
I also think it would make it easier for us to institute universal enrolment. Why shouldn’t all high school students be enrolled in Year 10 (we could do this without lowering the voting age by pre-enrolling everyone in Year 12). Mind you, we should also make it compulsory to be properly enrolled to get a driver’s licence.
Ben, I’m not particularly attached to that voluntary enrolment idea, I suggested it as an option for addressing some of the concerns that are being raised re compulsory voting. I hadn’t thought that it might discourage enrolment, but that’s a good point, and in that case it would flow through to later in life with more people potentially not enrolling even after they turn 18. I do agree with you on compulsory and universal enrolment, and that as long as voting is compulsory for those over 18, it makes more sense that it should be for 16 & 17 year olds as well (though it probably does make it a harder sell – voluntary voting for everyone 16+ would be the best option in my opinion, but we’re not going to get much agreement on that are we?).
Re civics education, originally I was suggesting introducing it in conjunction with the lowering of the voting age, and the point I then made is that I think it would be better to treat the two issues separately. If we are arguing that 16 year-olds are generally no less capable of making an informed choice at the ballot box than adults, but then suggest introducing civics education at the same time, as I did, we’re just reinforcing the argument against it. The opposing view is that 16 year-olds aren’t able to make an informed choice, and if we start suggesting that civics education needs to be introduced in conjunction with lowering the voting age we are seen to be implying that 16 year-olds are indeed unable to make an informed choice. I absolutely agree on the importance of civics education, and the two are certainly linked in my mind (or else I wouldn’t have suggested it originally), but when giving further thought to the voting age debate I just felt that discussing the issues separately may be smarter. Maybe I’m over-thinking it though.
Ben: But then permanent residents wouldn’t be able to get drivers licenses…
@kme: well obviously this would only apply to people eligible to vote.
A compromise would be to have Provisional Enrolment done as part of Civics for eligible 15yo school kids. They would then have the option of extending the provisional period until they are 18yo or have full enrolment (with all the responsibilities) kick in at 16.
I’m sure some kids would still object, but then this is a good way to start a discussion about rights/responsibilities etc.
Provisional enrolment a part of civics. Does that mean that as a teacher I can decide whether they have the right to vote?
im 16 and i think that it’s a very good idea. 16 year olds can live on their own, pay taxes ( as many do ) and learn to drive. it’s not logical for us not to have any say in how our tax is spent and how we would like our country managed. i personally would have to say that the liberals would get my vote, which shows that young people dont just support the labor party and the greens. we should get a vote if this really is a democracy.
One can join a politcal party, eg the ALP, at 15 years.
In a number of Latin American Nations, a person can vote ( or stand for election) at 16 years.
I believe that 15 year olds should be able to vote, encouraged to vote, (but not forced to vote) here too.
Judging from the understanding and maturity of my 12 year old daughter, I wonder what age, if any, should be the minimum age.
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