Having worked on electoral booths since I was 18 myself, I would say no. Even the 18 yos mostly have no idea of what they are doing, and just follow whoever they are with.

I think that putting a number on maturity is stupid in the first place. I mean, the reason 17-year-olds can't vote is that they are (allegedly) immature and don't really understand what they are doing. Weeeelllll... the same could be said of many 27-year-olds as well. I mean, this IS America. We aren't exactly a nation of rational people. So why not? What could it hurt?

NO

NO.

No, they don't have the experiences that someone over 18 does. Although it's hard to draw that line at how old someone should be, most people agree that when someone has fully matured into an adult then they can have a say.

I think that certain people should be allowed to vote. Maybe there could be a test that you have to pass to show that you are mature enough, but i think if you understand the laws and the policy of governmental issues, then you should be allowed to vote.

It's impossible to put an age on when someone is ready to vote - some might be ready at 14 and others not until 30 or so. That being said, we have to have some type of guidelines in place to follow, and, for the most part, people under the age of 18 haven't got enough experience and knowledge to truly understand the issues and make a good choice.

NO they are immature no matter what someone tells you they do not know squat. I know because i am one. lol :)

On nothing more important than Teen Idol.

Yes they should be able too. To say that everybody under 18 is immature and everybody over 18 is normal, that's just sterotyping. There are many mature kids and immature adults, just open your eyes and actually pay attention to people in public. People don't just suddenly change personality the second they turn 18.

If find it ludicrous for people to think that u attain maturity on your 18th bday im 17 myself and i am very politically active and have strong convictions about candidates it just crazy!!!!!!!!!!

No, at that age I don't think you'd have enough life experience to be able to make an informed judgement. Even now, I myself have trouble.

Sure, and babies too. We just need burp-driven voting machines. One burp means Democrat, Two means Republican.

Actually, I'd rather voting be tied to some accomplishment (such as graduating from HS) than to an arbitrary age. If someone is smart enough to graduate from HS a year or two early, he's probably smarter than a lot of voters out there. I don't really think this would make a big difference to the electorate in practice. It's my general impression that people not strongly motivated to finish their education are also not usually motivated to vote (or otherwise become civically involved) either.

No I even think 18 year olds aren't mature enough to vote.

18 and over. If you're old enough to fight for your country then you should be old enough to vote.

I don't think anyone under 21 should vote.

No i do not.

I think the voting age should go back to 21.

If you're talking about voting for PRESIDENT, then it really wouldn't matter anyway--since "WE" are not the ones who choose the president!!! For any OTHER position, I don't think that it would work out--seeing as anyone under 18 is considered to be a MINOR, and not a "peer" of the candidates for office.

Id have to say theres alot of people over 18 who shouldnt vote. Too bad its illegal to make you take an IQ test before casting your ballot.

Yes I think some should you know why, because some people mature quicker and understand the meaning of life than others . Why? This because god blessed them with a brain and some knowldege and guidance. Politics is politics an half the MPS just do it for the money so we kneed to know what our leaders are doing !!! By the way Gordon YOU SUCK!!!!

I dont, they need to mature enough to completely undestand the issues at hand.

NO! Then they would vote for whoever their friends, parents or other people liked better, not who is better for the country. If you could test them on their political aptitude first, then yes, I'm all for it. That being said, I'm a minor too :D

I believe that if a minor is old enough to enlist, he/she is old enough to vote. I say "Give 18 year olds the right to vote!"

No, but I don't think they could do much worse than adults. In any given election, although one party will have more votes, the leading candidates are more often than not very close. I guess if the politians and the 'mature and knowledgable' adult population are divided over what is best for a country, what harm could letting kids vote cause :p

a real "primary school" election sounds like civics class

No you shouldnt even vote till after you turn 21.

If we ever get the draft back the military with take "minors" I ask you, doesn't this automatically make these people, both men and woman adults? You can die of the rest of us, but you can have no say in who will send you to die? Oh and by the way you can't have a drink ether! It's hypocrisy is what it is!

This is actually quite a quandary. On the one hand, you can say minors are too immature an uninformed to make good voting decisions. On the other hand, so are a dissappointing number of adults! One solution might be to require some sort of aptitude/political knowledge test, before voting, rather than setting age restrictions. However, that would be unconstitutional, and many might view as a type of discrimination. A quandary indeed, I'm afraid I can't give a straight answer just yet.

I think you should be allowed to vote at age 16 only if you have a job. No Taxation without Representation what this country was founded on.

Nah, 18.

Should be 18. Otherwise they are likely to vote w/parents influence. Until they are moved out or at least considered an adult at 18 they should not have a vote. If you are immancipated I could hang w/that.

No one who understand what the point of "minor" status is.

Personally, I feel that minors should have the opportunity to vote. If they are above the age of 15. I find that many teenagers of this age have reached a level of maturity and are well informed about the issue. Also, they will grow up into the country and have an active roll in it. Shouldn't they have the oppurtunity to decide who it wil be run by and how? There are many adults that vote just to vote I feel that if you have no preference and are not informed of the issues or the candidates then do not vote, make educated decisions. For it is a decision which will impact yourself and everyone around you.

I think they should,and loggers,fishermen and all other professions should be allowed to vote.

The right to vote should not be triggered by age but by demonstrated responsibility, understanding of issues, and intellingence. If a 16- or 14- or 12-year-old understands the issues, can make intelligent decisions about them, and is responsible enough to do the right thing, then I say that person should be allowed to vote. It would be an improvement over the current situation to be sure.

Yes,because Many minors have the power to make smart decisions. Example Nick's kids pick the prez. the kids picked Obama and that is who the "smarter people" picked so kids to have power and the power to make wise decisions

Oh yes, And I think 5 year olds should be able to drink alcohol too.

No. I think that now that there is no longer a draft going on and old guys sending young guys off to fight over their political objectives, that the voting age should revert to 21. That's where it was 50 years ago when we voted to change it to allow draftees to have some say in who was sending them off to war.

Absolutely not! Their brains don't finish growing till 25 and sometimes not till 30!

nope i sure dont

Only if they've passed a high school level course in civics. That will never happen most places with Democrats in office.

No, the brain does not mature into a logical mindset until 21 -24 years of age. In fact, the age should have never been brought down to 18.

No. We need a threshold age, and 18 is appropriate, though even that's a little young. Teenagers just don't have the education, experience, and discernment to make serious decisions about the issues. I don't mean to be insulting; it's simply a matter of brain development. I've taught college students for years, and I've dealt with too many 18 and 19-year-olds who are really not ready to vote. 16 and 17-year-olds certainly are not.

no since they are generally not taxpayers or subject to military service

Well, you DO take History and Government classes in high school, plus you have to pass the US Constitution Test in order to graduate, so if a 17 year old Junior High School student can enlist into the military and go to Basic Combat Training over the summer, I don't see, if also having already taken and passed the Constitution Test, now having a reasonable understanding of the government, why they couldn't allow a special ID card to all 17 year old, regardless of military status, once the pass their Constitution test, to vote at 17. I have extremely intelligent children ages 19, 20, 21, who 2 are in college under full scholarships as well as working full time and the youngest just graduated and went off halfway across the country to a military academy for the next 2 years to become an Army Officer, and as his mother, I was in the Army almost all of his life and he's wanted to join as well since he was 2 years old, but as bright and intelligent as they have always been, the majority of teenagers at 16 and younger really don't have much interest in the government or voting. But 17 year olds start looking at what lies ahead of them and start to get serious about life after high school, living on their own as adults. Here in Missouri, females are considered legal adults at the age of 17 and males at the age of 18, so if 17 year old females are legally adults and 17 year old's can sign a contract (although at least one parent still has to sorta co-sign) with the United States Government, entering into a branch of military service, I think 17 year old's should be able to vote.