I believe that the voting age should be lowered to 16. How about you? Let us know what you think!

Firstly, 16 year-olds have a big enough picture to understand the way the government is run, allowing them to not just copy their parents with political views, but in fact have their own opinions. Having the choice to vote will inspire 16 year olds to become interested in politics. Other people may say to vote you have to be independent and be self-sufficient, which is why they believe that the voting age should stay at 18. But in fact many people still live at home in their 20s; they may not be able to support themselves, but can still vote and make a difference on how we are governed. 

Furthermore, by the time you are 16 you, with your parents' consent, can join the armed forces, get married and drink with a meal, so why not vote? Carrying on from my point on the armed forces, joining the army is a major life decision which can change the way you live forever. If 16 year olds can make this choice, why can’t they vote to change the shape of their future? Some people say that you can drink and smoke at 18 so why lower voting ages? Drinking and smoking is a matter of health, a 16 year olds body is not designed to take alcohol and cigarettes, but that does not mean they are not mature enough to vote.  

Lastly in the UK referendum to leave the EU 16 year olds did not get a chance to vote, even though they are the ones who are going to be living and finding their feet in a world without the EU whether they want or don’t want that. Many 16 year olds have jobs that they work on at the weekends in afternoons or full time. A vote could be held on something that could affect their job and they should have their say because if it affects them then it is entirely their business and their decision to decide what happens. 

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