16yr-olds should get to vote-civic elections

[acidhead]

https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/16-year-olds-should-get-to-vote-in-civic-elections-victoria-councillors-say-1.23627478?fbclid=IwAR3ao4sPxudnl59ku0fsUaf18-zJKCsszXphHZYiO5p1cyF3XqdK8mwEEQA

Feb. 8, 2019

Residents as young as 16 and non-citizens who are permanent residents should be allowed to vote in civic elections, say Victoria councillors.

The councillors endorsed two resolutions Thursday to be forwarded to the Union of B.C. Municipalities and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities calling on the province to make the changes.

The call to allow residents as young as 16 to vote came from Coun. Ben Isitt. “I think with the climate emergency we’re really seeing youth come to the forefront,” Isitt said.

“I think young people are stepping up to lead in a way that older people like myself are not doing and so I think at a minimum extending the franchise to people age 16 and over is a very supportable step.”

Coun. Marianne Alto called it “a fabulous idea” and “long overdue.” She said youths of 16 “understand completely what’s going on, have very strong opinions that are very well informed.”

continued...

 

Edited February 10, 2019 by acidhead

[Aquila King]

Sounds good to me.

[TigerBright19]

"She said youths of 16 “understand completely what’s going on, have very strong opinions that are very well informed.”"

When I was 16 I was heavily influenced by radical views e.g. Marxism, Nazism, Socialism.  I was changing my political side on a weekly basis because I was still learning the fundamental basics of politics.  When we were 16 we all thought we could change the world single handed.  We were all so easily influenced by 'the trendy crowd'.  I was mostly just playing videos games and collecting Star Wars figures.  Nice to know that teenagers as young as 16 will be able to influence political change.  We're born suckers and only know better through years of experience.  Frightening to know that young minds will have a direct impact in politics.

 

[+and-then]

"If you aren't a Democrat when you're 18 you have no heart and if you aren't a Republican by the time you're 20, you have no brain".  I wonder how much this fact has to do with the decision?  Their next big task will be to find a way to herd the cats to the polls.

[openozy]

Most 16 year olds would be most interested in lowering the drinking age and legalizing everthing.Of course they have a very strong opinion, they are testing their wings.Let them mature a bit,you have to look forward to something.

[Likely Guy]

Let's remember this is to vote in civic elections. Nothing to do with Nazi's and lowering the drinking age.

They teach civics in high school. Some are better educated in that regard than many of my contemporaries.

[Hankenhunter]

8 minutes ago, Likely Guy said:

Let's remember this is to vote in civic elections. Nothing to do with Nazi's and lowering the drinking age.

They teach civics in high school. Some are better educated in that regard than many of my contemporaries.

My daughter's high school civics classes were given supervised control of the municiple office for a day each year. Different roles such as public works, town councils, and committees were explored and proved very valuable in their educations. They had to practice at school before they took over for the day. Plus, they had a blast doing it. 

[Gromdor]

Yeah, I don't really see a problem with this.  It would encourage them to participate more in the city/county.  It's not like a wave of 16yr old voters are going to take control of city hall, anyways.

[Hankenhunter]

I can say this with confidence. My daughter and son had magnitudes more political awareness at 16 than I did at sixteen in Southern Manitoba.

[+and-then]

I have a feeling that the average 16-year-old Canadian is no more focused or aware of civics than the average American teen.  There is always a limited percentage that is more mature and involved but on the whole, this is just a vote grab by the Left looking for a segment of the population ruled by emotion.   Attorney's love to use the same logic during voir dire.

[Likely Guy]

7 minutes ago, Hankenhunter said:

I can say this with confidence. My daughter and son had magnitudes more political awareness at 16 than I did at sixteen in Southern Manitoba.

Flatlander!

[Gromdor]

Why is everyone assuming 16yr olds are left leaning?  Back when I was 16 the "Young Republicans Club" was a big thing.

[Likely Guy]

14 minutes ago, and then said:

I have a feeling that the average 16-year-old Canadian is no more focused or aware of civics than the average American teen.  There is always a limited percentage that is more mature and involved but on the whole, this is just a vote grab by the Left looking for a segment of the population ruled by emotion.   Attorney's love to use the same logic during voir dire.

I don't think that a motion was included to deny right wing kids the vote here.

I think that it's healthy to engage them at this age. Hell if they can drive a car at 16, they can at least choose who'll represent them at the local level.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Likely Guy

[Hankenhunter]

12 minutes ago, Likely Guy said:

Flatlander!

Not anymore. I've been a mountain boy for over 41 years. Flat is okay, but one you experience B.C, there's no going back. Duh, looks like I'm preaching to the choir. 

Edited February 11, 2019 by Hankenhunter

[Likely Guy]

18 minutes ago, Hankenhunter said:

Not anymore. I've been a mountain boy for over 41 years. Flat is okay, but one you experience B.C, there's no going back. Duh, looks like I'm preaching to the choir. 

I did spend a year and a half in Manitoba but the blizzard of '86 sent me packing.

That was a rude winter.

Edit: Still better than an Alberian (*spits*) though.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Likely Guy

[Big Jim]

Are we to assume that Canadian teenagers are more mature than their American counterparts?  Politically aware or not, teenagers are notorious fad followers.  They're just as likely to vote for the hippest candidate as the most qualified.  I wouldn't be surprised if the person with the coolest hat won.

[Gromdor]

2 minutes ago, Big Jim said:

Are we to assume that Canadian teenagers are more mature than their American counterparts?  Politically aware or not, teenagers are notorious fad followers.  They're just as likely to vote for the hippest candidate as the most qualified.  I wouldn't be surprised if the person with the coolest hat won.

Based off our presidential election, I would have to say the hats work for adults too.

[Likely Guy]

2 minutes ago, Big Jim said:

Are we to assume that Canadian teenagers are more mature than their American counterparts?  Politically aware or not, teenagers are notorious fad followers.  They're just as likely to vote for the hippest candidate as the most qualified.  I wouldn't be surprised if the person with the coolest hat won.

Didn't you guys just elect the guy with the cool red trucker hat in '16?

[Hankenhunter]

5 minutes ago, Likely Guy said:

Didn't you guys just elect the guy with the cool red trucker hat in '16?

Wasn't that the year of the great foot in mouth disease breakout?

[Big Jim]

9 minutes ago, Likely Guy said:

Didn't you guys just elect the guy with the cool red trucker hat in '16?

I should have seen that coming.  

[Big Jim]

10 minutes ago, Gromdor said:

Based off our presidential election, I would have to say the hats work for adults too.

I knew I should have worded that differently, but that's what came out.  

[Likely Guy]

But seriously, this is at the civic level. Engage them now so that in two years they may be better versed to vote on more serious issues.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Likely Guy

[Likely Guy]

When I was a kid my father gave me responsibilities. The worst punishment he could give me was to take them away.

[Big Jim]

2 minutes ago, Likely Guy said:

But seriously, this is at the civic level. Engage them now so that in two years they'll be better versed to vote on more serious issues.

There must be other ways to engage them without letting them do actual damage.  There have to be plenty of small communities where the kids outnumber the adults and letting them vote could have serious consequences.  No matter how involved they are they're still kids.  All jokes about my earlier statement aside, they can still be swayed by trivial things more easily than adults.

[Aquila King]

4 minutes ago, Big Jim said:

There must be other ways to engage them without letting them do actual damage. 

So would you say they're also too young to drive? I mean Lord knows they could cause loads of actual damage there, yet we still let them drive.