The legal voting age should be reduced to 16 instead of 18. We can work, we can join the army, we can even get married at the age of 16, but can't we vote at 4pm? We can leave school, we can leave the family home and live on our own independently if we wish at the age of 16, but yet we are considered immature and not responsible enough to vote at 16, why? Why elect a political representative is much more important than authorizing a sixteen year old to go and fight and potentially die for his country. The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1969 during the Vietnam War, because it was right that those between the ages of 18 and 20 who die for their country have a say in how it is run. Therefore, if 16-year-olds can now join the military, then it certainly makes sense to give them the opportunity to vote as well. Nothing can fully prepare you for joining the military at 16: living on the edge of life, putting yourself and others at risk, and living in an extremely dangerous environment, not knowing whether you will survive or die within the next second. Most people who oppose lowering the voting age believe that 16-year-olds simply don't have the life experience or any knowledge of what politics is; this is not true. There are people who go to war who don't have enough life experience or knowledge of everything, yet they manage to face every challenge thrown at them. Secondly, it is argued that by allowing 16 and 17 year olds to participate in elections, they would be meaningless because they are likely to have been manipulated by their parents and brainwashed with false promises. Those who agree with this need to stop making false assumptions; we are not a puppet or a 10 year old who is......middle of paper......ct on their future. Finally we will get recognition and our decision will also be taken into consideration. This powerful yes or no question will impact and change many lives. It will be an exciting moment, allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote, to finally be accepted as full members of society. It's not just about giving us the right to vote, it's the gateway for young people to step up one level and actively take part in decision-making processes, contributing to society. Let us 16 and 17 year olds have our say. Is there any harm in giving ourselves this privilege and responsibility as young adults? Works Cited http://yougov.co.uk/news/2012/02/15/and-against-lowering-voting-age/ http://www .belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/legal-voting- age-should-be-lowered-to-16-28874729.html http://www.theguardian.com/uk/scotland-blog/2012/oct/18/scotland-referendum-votes16