Should the voting age be lowered to 16? It’s a question that has resurfaced over the last few days, as students across the country have spoken out about gun legislation following the mass school shooting in Florida. Advocates of lowering the voting age say that if students are already participating in politics and can work and drive, they shouldn’t be denied the civic responsibility of voting. Those against the idea say that 16 and 17 year olds are not mature enough to make informed decisions at the polls. Several U.S. cities have already lowered the voting age, as have several countries.
Will it happen across the U.S.? What should the national voting age be? Our panelists debate the issue. Our guests:
- Dylan Holcomb, senior student-activist and mindfulness facilitator at Brighton High School
- Sam Topa, freshman at McQuaid Jesuit High School
- Zosan Soong, senior patent counsel at Xerox Corporation, and parent
- Mary Lupien, RCSD teacher
- Tim Kneeland, professor and chair of the Department of History and Political Science at Nazareth College
