What about a maximum age?
Discussion question | This is for ages 14 to 16
In Vatican City (the Holy See) voters have to be under the age of 80. Should countries have an upper age limit for voting?
Vatican city is the world's smallest independent sovereign city-state and centre of the Roman Catholic Church, ruled by the pope. When voting in an election there (for the head of state/pope) voters must be under 80 years old. Some people argue that voting should reflect current society, while others say everyone should keep their vote for life.
What do you think... Should countries have an upper age limit for voting?
Tell us what you think
You might want to structure your answer like this:
I think countries [should / should not] have a maximum voting age because [your reason]. However, others might disagree because [an opposite view].
Make sure you read the comments from other Topical Talkers to see whether you agree or disagree with them.
Comments (216)
I think countries should not have an upper age limit for voting because getting older does not mean someone stops understanding society or caring about it. My neighbour is over 80, and every morning, he watches the news and talks about prices, healthcare, and elections. He still complains when things are unfair, which shows that older people are still affected by government decisions.
At the same time, many countries are thinking about letting 16-year-olds vote because they are affected by the future. If young people deserve a voice because they live in society now, then older people also deserve a voice because they live in it too. In Egypt, older people often sit together and discuss politics, past leaders, and how life has changed, helping younger generations learn from history.
However, others might disagree because they think very old voters may not understand modern issues like technology or climate change, or that they might vote based on the past. Even so, the problem is not age but information. Some young people are uninformed, and some old people are as well. Removing votes because of age can become discrimination, which is unfair in a democracy.
I believe voting should be a right for life, so everyone , young or old , can help shape society.
I partly agree with you because if people are very old, their health is less, their concentration is not full all the time and may misunderstand some ideas, which would lead to wrong decisions. Especially the topic about elections, voters must be well-informed because wrong decisions may cause disasters and may ruin a country as some leaders are irresponsible. However, young people have fresh minds and are not mentally stressed like olds.
Still, old people should vote for the elections even if they are above 80, because people above 80 may still be engaged to know more about the society and the issues of our time, while others of the same age don't. So, there is no law that prevents them from voting. As an evidence, there are people above 80 who are still interested to vote and is already taking a part in voting in the elections.
WE CAN SAY THAT IT DEPENDS ON THE KNOLEDGE AND MENTAL HEALTH OF THE PERSON VOTING.
People above 80 may be much more stressed because of challenges of life or work, while people under 16 are not likely to face huge issues that would affect their mental health strongly. Therefore, different circumstances can decide if people can vote logically not randomly.
To conclude, there are three things that may affect the person who is voting:
1- interests, as some old and even young people are not interested to be part of voting for some important topics like the elections
2- mental health
3- knowledge, and this is the most important factor as decisions must be based on prior knowledge not "feelings" or randomness.
I agree because, 80 year old people could be able to idemtify the things that are happening that are not good for the country, because they don't go out often enough to know the recent happenings of the country or their immediate environment . So it makes it unfair that young people at 13-17 that go out on a regular and know about the country and the things happening in that place or area not to vote. So I don't just agree I strongly agree with you lovely_fruit.
I agree because the party that is selected often affects pensioners, who are a big part of society and often have opinions and needs, for example they are retired or maybe not working full time but are still paying taxes, need health care and buying food, petrol etc.
i agree with you and same thing goes in my village where older people discus and debate on the past event of our leaders, and i think that older citizen shouldn't have limit to vote
I agree because... I think that it is unfair because everyone has a life they want to live.And in my opinion I don't think they are fair to younger people and older or elder
I agree because in your conclusion you said voting should be for life. I agree with this sentence because when they say vote that doesn't mean that it implies to only adults. Vote is a fundamental human right and it doesn't need to be interrupted by anyone unless you misuse it. so i bit my chest and agree with this your wonderful comment.
Thank you.
I disagree, first off you said that "getting older does not mean someone stops understanding society or caring about it." True, but caring is not the same as having a mordern perspective that match our today's challenges.The fact that your neighbor still reads the news and watch tv shows engagement but engagement is not the same thing as relevance, watching the news doesn't mean that someone understands modern challenges like the climate change and technology, these are problems that require perspective of young people that are living in the problems of our today .
You also argued that older people deserve a voice because of they are affected by the country too, but younger people deserve an even stronger voice because they will live longer with the consequence of today's decision.
You said is not about "age but information" well,let me make it clear to you that it is not about information but about the perspective through which that information is understood. Older generations would interpret that information through the experiences of their time, while younger generarations would interpret it through the challenges of our today.
So,while older citizens may be affected of political decisions, does not mean that their perspectives are relevant for solving of today's problems.
Yes, I totally agree with you because there's a certain age limit for voting, but I think it would be best if those 16 and older had the right to vote. However, it shouldn't be mandatory, since some teenagers are clueless, and people younger than 16 shouldn't be able to vote, nor should people over 80.
I think that voting must be for a certain age starting from 13 or so, because at that time a person will remain sane enough to choose unless he has a disease or a need in the mind or something like that. In this case, they can't vote for something, and I also see that voting must be finished at a certain age from 18 to 20 years in order to make an opportunity for the new generation, but there are older people, for example, 30 or more who monitor the vote, and this is for my personal opinion.
Bye bye
For my opinion i disagree because that person at the age of 13 might be too young to fully understand the struggle around the world and at that age you can be easily influenced,based on someone from the political elections,social media,or something .at that age they should be focusing on education in schools not focusing on something that's not personally effective on their future,cause that's not really important.
How can it not have an effect? On the contrary, it has a very significant effect because you are training them from a young age to make decisions and focus on more than one thing, like studying and voting at the same time. This benefits them, it doesn't harm them.
I disagree with your point of "not personally effective" as the political figure or party reigning the country will ultimately affect everyone including the children. While I do think that a child that is 13 years old does not understand politics, could be swayed easily and shouldn't really have the opportunity to vote, that doesn't mean that it doesn't affect them. Rather children should be educated on politics so they know how voting and having certain political parties reign will affect their future for the bad or the good.
I disagree because in my view, 13 is too young to start voting because 13-years-old won't be mature and enough to start voting. Young people will not have the same perspective that older ones have because they have lived longer and have learned and gotten used to the world to understand the ethics and flaws of the society. I don't intend to imply any offences but since countries like Vatican practice the law of not allowing 80 and above to vote, doesn't mean we have to follow them to do so, and that we an agree on. Also, not all teens that are being trained now will make a good impact later on.
Yes, I agree with your point. Very true.
I respect your opinion, but I don’t fully agree. Age doesn’t always define maturity or awareness. Many 13-year-olds today are informed, educated, and capable of understanding important social and political issues, especially with the access to information and education they have. Also, experience doesn’t only come from age — it comes from learning, engagement, and responsibility. While not every teen may be ready, the same can be said for adults too. Instead of focusing only on age, we should focus on education, awareness, and preparing young people to become responsible decision-makers in the future.
I disagree with your viewpoint because I don't believe that voting should be limited at a particular age in order to make room for younger generations. The Elderly people's opinions are still very important because they are still a part of society and are impacted by decisions about healthcare, laws, and prices. They also are for the most part the most experienced!
Furthermore, who is "sane enough" to vote is not always determined by age. Even though some older people are very cautious and well-informed, some young people might not understand politics well. I agree that mental capacity is important, but nations should prioritize ensuring that voters are informed rather than limiting voting at the ages of 16 or 18. Voting should, in my opinion, be based on empathy as well as responsibility as opposed to excluding people based solely on their age.
I understand your point, but I still think age limits exist for a reason. Voting is a serious responsibility that requires not only empathy and awareness, but also life experience, emotional maturity, and a deep understanding of long-term consequences. While some young people are informed, the majority may not yet have enough real-world experience to make complex political decisions. Age limits are not meant to exclude people unfairly, but to ensure that voters have reached a certain level of cognitive and emotional development. Education is important, but it cannot fully replace maturity that comes with time and experience.
Hello, I think countries shouldn't have a maximum voting age because being old doesn't meant that you aren't capable of thinking clearly to vote. In my opinion, the older you are meant the more experienced you are. So, there's no problem in voting altough you're already old. But there should be an exception like if you have a brain disease such as alzheimer,ect. But as long as you're totally fine, I think there won't be anything wrong with voting in a old age. However, others might disagree because they thought that a elderly have already lack the capability to think clearly. Maybe, the think that as an elderly, you're already really weak and sometimes don't follow the news anymore so you couldn't decide who should choose. But in some countries like Japan where the elderly are still really healthy and they could follow the news, then it should be alright to let them vote. But, this depends on the countries and condition there. However, the government are the one that should decide but they should decide according the condition there.
I partially agree with your opinion. It’s true that old people with brain conditions like Alzheimer’s probably shouldn’t be allowed to vote. But I think you have to differentiate between more advanced Alzheimer’s and the beginning state of Alzheimer’s. If their diseases is still in the initial state they can still think clearly about elections and only forget about smaller things. But if their diseases is in a more advanced state they shouldn’t be allowed, because for democratic participation a minimum level of understanding is required.
What in my opinion is more concerning is that, older people have different priorities and values than younger people and therefore vote for parties that could change the future for younger generations. Older people have priorities that no longer reflect the challenges of today’s world like climate change or AI. They will elect parties that share their vision of the future, that is different from the vision that younger people have of the future, who will experience the future unlike the older people.
This leads to the question whether it is fair that old people have the same influence on the future as younger people even though they share different priorities and older people won’t experience the future. You can argue that that’s how older people want the future for younger people to look like. But can they decide on other people’s futures?
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because the older the generation the older their ideas are and when we vote we are actively involved in politics. Not only are the older generation heavily affecting the votes but they are also not affected as much by politics as younger people. Older people are also often closed to new ideas which is not beneficial to the future of the country. However others might disagree because most politicians are old and therefore people might argue that since the government's decisions are based on older views then why can't votes be made by older people. Some people also believe that older people are wiser, which I agree with to an extent. Personally I agree with the restriction of voting in the Vatican as it allows fair distribution of voting from young to old, but restricts the very old who are often in my opinion too old to vote as they are in a stage of life where they are not always healthy and very closed to other ideas.
I disagree because the older age classes are still informed about what goes on in the society and most of them heavily support what is right and what is wrong simply cutting down the voting age could even affect the elections because a most world populations consists of majorly the older age groups for example my grandmother is about 85 but is well informed and still able to support some of the practices of the newer generations especially if those practices are right. However, some may still disagree because of more aged people who may even be suffering a kind of mental disability.
I agree because sometimes people who are older just vote based on traditions or trusted people's opinions plus old people (as you said) won't be affected by the voting as much as the younger people will since a lot of them are retired but if a terrible leader is chosen like James Buchanan who supported slavery, had a " we are powerless" type of approach saying they couldn't do anything about any problems and failed to stop the civil war leaving the us in shreds and making hard for his successor (Abraham Lincoln) to take over.
Younger people have been interpreted to have newer, fresher ideas and a bigger imagination compared to the more tight-minded old people.
While it might still be good to follow traditional old people sometimes all the world needs is a bit more creativity from younger people.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because at some point people are no longer living in the world their vote is shaping. If someone is 80 or older, they are not the ones who will deal with rising rent, student debt, climate disasters, or the way jobs and technology are changing. I see it around me all the time; my grandparents talk about how “things were better back in their day” and sometimes vote based on nostalgia or what protects the past instead of what actually helps people my age. That matters, because their decisions affect me and my friends for decades, even though they won’t experience the consequences themselves. I’ve also noticed how older voters are more likely to ignore issues like affordable education, public transportation, or climate policy, because those things won’t change their lives as much anymore. Of course, some people argue that voting is a right for life and that older people bring wisdom and experience, and I get that, but sometimes that “wisdom” just ends up protecting the past at the expense of the future. If democracy is really about representing society today and tomorrow, then the people who are actually going to live in that world should have the strongest voice, and the older generations should maybe step back a little so the rest of us can actually decide our own future.
You raise a good point especially that often the impact of their long term voting decisions may not affect them and their priorities in older age may shift away from education and climate change more onto things which directly affect them such as healthcare.
So I wonder: What do you think is a fair way to continue to have their views and opinions acknowledged but also balance "future impact"?
Thank you for your comment! I understand your concern about how voting decisions affect future generations, it's a thoughtful perspective, but I see the issue quite differently.
In my opinion, the idea of you saying that older people only vote based on nostalgia is unfair generalization. Experience can provide long term perspectives that I think younger voters may lack, because wisdom and knowledge gained over decades is just as relevant as adaptability to change. Age does not measure awareness, some elderly citizens are highly informed while some younger voters are disengaged. Using age as a cutoff is a discriminatory and inaccurate way to measure someones ability to vote responsibly. Democracy is not about who lives the longest but about how everyones opinions and voices matter and deserves to be heard, older citizens still pay taxes, follow laws so why should they lose the rights to vote?. They might not be affected by political decisions in the future, but they are still going to be affected by political decisions in the present.
You have a good point, that older generations should maybe step back sometimes and I agree that political decisions might not be as important to them. But there are still many elderly people who inform themselves about politics and think about the younger generations. As you already said, older people bring wisdom and experience which can be very important. They have experienced many political decisions, including ones that were not good. For example, many older people have experienced economic crises, wars or political extremism and have seen the long-term consequences of these decisions. The younger generations might not know about these bad decisions, might have forgotten them or might forget how big of an impact they had. This is also important today, as many political decisions have long-term effects that will influence future generations. Older generations might ensure that bad decisions made in the past are not made again.
Well I think that voting should not have a maximum age. Voting is an your choice of leadership. Voting is an individual's choice. Well, I respect the minimum age of voting but I don't think that the should be a maximum age.
Firstly, no matter how old an individual is he should still be given an opportunity to vote. Elderly people are people who have more experience than youths. They can actually be of assistance in making decisions that will help the country even in the choice of the right leadership. They can help us in making decisions so that "the past may not repeat itself". By this statement, I mean that they can tell youth their mistakes and advice us on the right choice of leadership so that we may not repeat the same mistakes.
Secondly, one of the universal fundamental rights of every citizen is the right to vote and be voted for when of age (usually 18 years and above). I believe that every country that has a constitution has implemented this law and it shouldn't be compromised because of the age of elderly people. They are humans and also citizens so they should have all the privileges that youth are given.
One of my favorite sayings is "Experience is the greatest teacher". I stand by this motion and believe that when we allow elderly people be involved in voting, it would contribute to the growth and development of the society.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because people who are older then 80 are still citizens of the country which means that they should still have the privilege to vote. However, others might disagree because they think of the saying "Out with the old and in with the new" but I do not agree because the old citizen's still have the grace of old age wisdom and some of them know what is best for the country.
I agree with your opinion on this topic. I also don't think that countries should have a maximum voting age since a lot of older people still keep up with recent news stories about politics, voting, etc. This means that most still understand society and care for society as they still live in it. Older voters still have opinions about things that are unfair, or confusing, which means they know that they are still affected by government decisions. Also, a lot of places/countries are letting 16 year olds vote because they are affected by the future. If people say that young people deserve a voice because they live in this society now, then older people should also deserve a voice because they live in society too.
However, others with an opposite opinion could say that older people might not understand modern politics and issues as well as younger voters. They could say that they wouldn't understand newer issues like AI and technology, because things like this are too complicated for them to comprehend. Another things they could say is that they might vote based on what has happened in the past. Some say that older people are uninformed, but some younger people are also uninformed.
Not letting people vote just because of age is discriminating and also creating an unfair environment. I personally think that voting should be something that is fair, and something that everyone(of a reasonable age) can do, because everyone should have to chance to shape society.
I understand your perspective on the matter but I believe that regardless of citizenship someone who is mentally unwell (this applies to young and old) should not be allowed to vote. Voting for your county and what is best for it is quite a big deal ,in my opinion. Someone who does not have mental stability to vote accurately should not be allowed to vote because their vote counts and without a sound mind people can make out of pocket and irrational decisions. Those votes could be the difference between a country becoming better or a country plummeting to its lowest lows.
I think that voting should start from the age of 16 and should have an age limit at the best age for retirement which is 60, while i have studied my Nigerian history well, only "Working Men" could vote and they had to be at the age of 21 and in some other years it was only places like Lagos and Calabar that could vote, and we only had few people in politics because we were under British, and as of now in Nigeria you must be 18 to vote and there is no specific age for when a person should stop voting, but honestly a new young generation has to have their opinion heard on who their leader should be, they should have their own say and do research on who they want if needed they should ask their parents or check the news about the person they want to vote for.
I disagree because voting in Nigeria is meant to start from 18.
Thank you for commenting. I found your comment very thought provoking.
I disagree as I believe since democracy is all about including as many opinions as possible and that restricting the voting age would make voting for the government less democratic. I agree with your comment that "voting should start from the age of 16" since this is increasing the diversity of voting and hence making the government more democratic. I, however, disagree with your comment stating that voting should have "an age limit at the best age for retirement which is 60" . By restricting the population to stop voting at 60 it would make the elections less fair and democratic. This also makes it so a huge percentage of the population's voices cannot be heard. Not to mention that most politicians are over 60 years old. Therefore if we restrict over 60s voting should we therefore restrict politicians to be under 60?
For me, voting is all about experience, passion, and the right to independent expression, but only for the right range of individuals. In my other comment, I expressed that the aging should start at 12 or 13 because of child experience and educational reasons, but as for the maximum, I really do believe there should be a limit, especially because I speak from Nigeria. Our current government, in no insult, tend to follow old standards and do not apply the fact that our era does not support those methods, which is why we are currently underdeveloped in some aspects, and basically to solve it, I believe there should be a limit to voting age, my max is 75, because we human beings are really evolving too fast to delay action and if it stays, who knows, possibility be problems. That is my point, share your thoughts please!
Can you say more on why you think that there should be a limit to voting age?
We all agree that with age comes more wisdom, generally derived from the fact of their own life experience, but, as I explained before, we also are evolving as human beings, in every possible way, the systems and ways of doing things tend to change. I agree that elders should have a big part in our political futures, which is why I expressed 75 as the closing stage for voting, probably to maintain our current, future, and elder generation to be in balance. How our world develops actually tends to affect our current/younger generation. In this era, we tend to make decisions based on education systems, tech growth, job creation, climate, and other current world factors, which our elderly generation might just not be able to highlight based on their own ways of thinking. Do not forget my emphasis that they can and should still have a say in our futures, my reasons for choosing 75 as the max age, make it 80, it still matters anyway. Their longevity on its own will not allow them to see the long- term effects of today's decisions, understand my point.
I believe I've said enough, reason my point, and please you all should express your opinions!
why is it meant to start from 12 or 13
I think that a maximum voting age isn't necessary as the older you get the more experienced you are. Being old doesn't mean you have lost your ability to think straight enough to choose your leader. Most, of the time it is even elderly people you see running for positions in elections. So, does that mean that we want to curtail elderly voters while our candidates are also elderly?
I would love to hear what everyone has to say about this topic.
This unique rule of Vatican City mainly applies to the Papal Conclave, where the cardinals eligible to vote must be under the age of 80. Similarly, in some countries, there may be justification for having an upper age limit for voting. The reasons for this are as follow;
From my perspective, I believe that voting should reflect the present and future of society and the state. The long-term impact of a country’s policies primarily affects the younger generation. It's often argued that compared to elderly individuals, young and middle-aged citizens feel a stronger urgency to make a decisions regarding future challenges,, as they themselves will need to adapt to technological changes and upcoming societal challenges.
Another point of view, one of the core foundations of Vatican City’s rule is to ensure mental sharpness and physical well-being while carrying out a serious responsibility such as electing the Pope. With advancing age, elderly individuals may experience memory loss or mental complications due to old age. Since voting is a crucial state responsibility, setting an age limit after a certain point can help maintain the transparency and credibility of the democratic process. At the same time,, it can also help ensure better political representation for the younger generation....
Thank you💕
I think that countries should not have a maximum voting age because of the experience factor. These old people have had experiences and know the best decisions to make for the society's benefit. An older person has seen the world develop form being without technology to what it is and what it might possibly become in the nearest future and knows what is best for the country. This is because the older ones are still going to be affected by voting decisions as far as they are alive, giving them the legit reason to still vote.
However others may argue that they do not know the present day world trends and cultures. As I said earlier, I think that they should still have a say as they still are affected by the decisions of voting, and be allowed to make an impact on the society.,
Thank You.
No, countries should not have a maximum voting age because, in my opinion, the older we are, the wiser we become in handling situations and making decisions. It is certainly not fair for citizens over the age of 80 to lose their right to vote just because they have wrinkles and have grown older. Aging does not give anyone the right to take away their opinions, votes, or silence them. Older citizens also have lives, pride, and rights to be a part of making change in their own country and to feel seen and respected.
However, many people might not agree with this because there are many conflicts related to technology and modern issues nowadays. Many think that older people may misunderstand how the world works today, especially with rapid technological changes. This can lead to older voters suporting the wrong side or making decisions that may not benefit future generations.
Despite this concern, removing their right to vote is not the solution. Instead of excluding older citizens, societies should focus on education, open discusions, and mutual understanding between generations, so everyone can make informed decisions together. Let me know what you guys think.
Older voters may have different opinions on what is important than younger voters - they may vote against things they don't fully understand such as technological advancements, etc. Do you think this wide spread of experience adds balance to the overall vote or could it actually limit real change?
I think that there shouldnt be a age limit for elderly people. The main problem that leads people to believe that an upper age limit is needed is because of a risk of mental decline that can affect a persons thinking skills and thinking rationally. Instead, the solution I've thought about is that we can only restrict those who have documented mental illnesses, we can also make it optional for eldery to vote---(I dont know how it is in other countries but) in my country everyone is required to vote, but for eldery people, it might me hard for them to even go out to vote, mabye they dont have people taking care of them or they just couldnt care less about the elections. I think this can be easily done, knowing that the goverment knows our infomation, this solution might actually be a fantastic idea! I think elderly people should have a say in what they think because they have been through more in our country more than we have, and they sure will have more polished views about their political stance. And with the rising controversial topic of lowering the voting age, I dont understand why we would restrict old people. Sure, sometimes they are too oldschooled and mabye badmouths the new generations, but we have to remember they've been through much more and they know history. The goverment covers certain horrible incidents and the only way we will know the truth is by the people who lived in that era, the elderly.
I am in total support of what you said charming wombat.
I would just like to add that old people have seen the good and the ugly in their lives and them being elderly will never want a situation were us their children as they say will pass through their suffering , so from that experience they have learnt. Yes most elderly from that age range have gotten aged and a lot of sicknesses will come their way but if we are considering the fact that the are aged then we can make the voting online , we can make organization that will go from one place to another looking for people who are aged and do not have access to mobile phones or who do not have people watching them but are interested in voting for their dear country will be made easier.
Old people should not be restricted from voting because as for me the know what is best for the young.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because age does not necessarily mean that one's comprehension of society or their interest in it will be diminished. Im aware of senior citizens who continue to visit the market, compare prices and complain about the inflation. They are aware of all the changes happening around the society. In fact, in my family, they are the first persons who recieves information when new local laws are enforced. These are not abstract concepts, but practical experiences that prove how policies affect them directly. Some people may say that senior citizens may be out of touch with the latest developments in society and that politics should keep pace with the needs of the new generation. However, the truth is that many senior citizens continue to be active, inquisitive and fully competent to make informed decisions. Their lives have been influenced by years of experience, and their voting patterns are a result of lessons learned from history, not from outdated practices. The right to vote is not a privilege associated with youth. It's a responsibility that comes with citizenship. To deny people the right to vote simply because they've lived longer would mean that their voices, which have contributed to the making of the society that we all enjoy today, would be silenced.
I feel like this case is quite complicated.
As we age, we start to develop mental or health issues that can damage our cognitive functions. And when that happens, we aren't always able to think logically or critically, and remember things anymore.
This can play a big role on how we vote, no matter if it's a president or daily life choices. Simple things can be hard to do if we don't have someone by our side to think about with, especially with potential problems like dementia, alzheimers, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The thing is, it's not guaranteed for old people to experience cognitive problems. My grandma is almost 70, and she's still an excersize teacher. She can still think logically (,is really smart too) and hasn't gotten a problem related to her thinking. So there really isnt an excuse to have an age limit to voting.
So personally, I think we should make a system to regulate people (especially the older percentage) and their capabilities to vote. By using databases or health records, we can search for who can vote and who cannot. I know this could be hard to do, and will need big amounts of consideration. But with the right people in charge, along with an accurate record, an option like this can potentially make voting make more sense.
In conclusion, I dont think a maximum age will make voting systems better, a regulation system will.
Again though, this is just my opinion. If you have a different concept in mind, feel free to reply!
Thank you for your comment and I agree this is complicated! You've clearly given this difficult question some thought and I think you've made a case for using other means to determine who can vote other than simply by a person's age - what do you think the advantages and disadvantages are of regulating who can vote, other than through their age?
Thank you for the question! I actually thought this out a bit while i was writing this comment.
An obvious advantage of this would be that governments could possibly improve, especially when the right person is chosen. If the regulation system requires a form of documentation, databases might be required to improve data sorting. While this requirement can be quite a challenge, I think the change can be for good.
A disadvantage I suspect can be a false or counterfeit form of information. Like what I've mentioned, if there is a lack of proper moderation, regulation systems can fall victim of falsified documents that can make voting unfair or even impose a risk for data security.
I think these are some advantages you can spot for the regulation systems if they are ever going to be made.
I'm sorry if I replied quite late, my schedule is a little busy this week. I hope you understand.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a right for life. Older people are still affected by goverment decisions such as healthcare, pensions and taxes. However, others may disagree with me and say voting should be reflect in nowadays society. They believe that younger people will live longer and they will live under these rules for more time. Even so, taking away the right to vote based on age is not fair. In my opinion, governments should encourage young people to vote.
How do you think governments could encourage more young people to vote? Often with older people being retired they have more time to go to vote and the time constraints of a job which younger people face is not a problem.
While many argue that there shouldn't be a voting limit because many think the older you get the wiser you are. I personally think that there should be a maximum voting age for for various reasons for example people who are I their 80s. Firstly. as they age. Some older adults may have a hard time processing new info and context and may just vote based on opinion which could throw off the votes especially considering that a single vote could be the deciding factor of who gets to be president.
Secondly, they can sometimes easily be tricked or even forced to vote for someone if they are so old they don't have the power to defend themselves.
An important factor that should be considered is bias. Some older communities could be led to vote for someone who is older.
While some will lean toward an older president others think that a younger one will have fresher ideas and a better understanding of the internet.
I really like your comment, phenomenal_fern, You made some great points but I don't fully agree with all of them.
While it is true that some older adults might struggle with new information, many others stay in great health and can still vote very wisely. I also think that being tricked or forced to vote is something that might only happen once in a blue moon rather than being a common problem.
Even if some people lean toward older presidents, that is still their right as a voter. My main thought is that while elderly people might not always use the internet like younger people do , they are like a wide real life Google because of all the history and experience they have lived through.
I hope you can see my point of view too!!!
I think the idea of a maximum voting age is interesting because young people will live with election results for the longest time some people might argue that an age limit make sense because the future affect as the most however I believe it is unfair to stop people from voting just because they are older senior citizens have a lot experience that can help our country make better choices instead of cutting people out we should in encourage different generations to talk more so we can make decisions that are good for everyone.
Hello topical talkers! In my opinion none of the countries should have a maximum age for voteing because an older person have more experience with elections, have more knowledge in politics than a young person and he will be definitely better at distinguishing false informations from true informations. But sadly nowdays what I said above doesn't really happen anymore. A lot of old persons are easily scamed by fake news, AI generated videos or news and a lot of other things. So, in conclusion I still belive(and wish) that the most of the old peoples can see the differences between a fake news and a true news and they are able to vote for the most correct candidate.
You make a very interesting point about AI generated videos and fake news. Do you think the elderly are more likely to be deceived by them? If so, why do you think that's the case?
I think countries should have a maximum voting age, and this is because some old people may not think clearly. However, some people may disagree with me by giving examples of people over 80 who can think clearly, and prove a point against me.
What would you set as the maximum age?
I wouldn't really set a maximum age, but I would rather allow only people with a good medical record to be able to vote, as I believe that people that are over 80 and are able to think clearly miss out on voting currently.
Hello everyone! I think this is a very interesting topic because normally, the young people are often accused of being immature or not being in their best mental conditions to decide by their own. However, elder people can also be manipulated by external people or even by their own family.
That's why I believe that people needs to take a "test" just to make sure if they have the capacity to think and criticise by their own, no matter if they are older or younger, because there are some young people that watch the news everyday and are very interested in what is hapenning all over the world, and the same goes for elder people.
To summarize, I believe that voting is a right that everyone should have, no matter how old they are or where did they come from.
Interesting. Can you see any issues arising if you had to pass a test to vote? It could create a lack of equality within a democracy, What do you think?
Well, that's a good question, but I don't think it will create problems at the democratic situation, because this "test" only has the objective to make sure that you can decide by yourself and that you have the capacity to not be influenced by other people's opinions.
However, others might disagree with me because they think that this test can be manipulated so people influenced by a specific political party could vote.
Finally, I conclude that the key is to educate, not to limit. We should encourage young people to vote, we need to show them the objectives of each party so they can decide by themselves and we should never prohibit anyone from to exercise one of the most important rights on the world, to vote.
I think that there shouldn’t be a cap on voting age.
Saying once people reach 60, they’re automatically unable to make decisions for themselves is a mass generalization. Many 60 year olds sure, are not as publicly informed, but that is no different from many young adults over 18 who haven’t quite figured out what their political views are. Not only this but the simple backlash from the older community would be insane. They make up quite a bit of every cities population, and removing their voting rights is essentially encouraging their negative influence on the people around them. They also, are very able to riot, such as many old people currently rioting against ice. They have more influence than we give them credit for, and if they spread negative information to their families, it becomes an alienation of voting altogether. Many have argued that old people make up much of our population, and that their mental decline is heavily affecting voting outcomes, however many old people simply don’t vote. It can be a longer journey, and a harder trip to actually vote and at that age it doesn’t seem worth it. With this as evidence, we can see we are making problems out of small issues that are now being blown out of proportion. As such a simple solution could be to have the old people who vote take a test each year before they vote to ensure they are still able to. This solves the risk of mental decline, while still avoiding the mass generalization that old people can’t think for themselves and maintains their human rights.
I've changed my mind multiple times on this, but i believe countries should have a maximum voting age because older people have a much smaller stake in the results of elections. Seniors wont care about monumentally important matters like climate change because they wont affect them. They will, however, care about pensions. And, big surprise, in countries with many elderly people voting, the parties and candidates that win elections are the ones that promise to raise pensions or in general appeal to older voters (Serra, 2025). When this happens, much more relevant matters become ignored, for example climate change. Why is that? Because climate change does not affect a large part of the voting population because that large part of the voting population will be dead by the time it becomes a massive problem.
Thus, when we have a lot of seniors voting, candidates will appeal to them(Serra, 2025). In order to appeal to them, you have to give the them short-term benefits (because only that will affect them in their lifetimes). By doing so, you have to ignore the long-term implications of these choices and other long-term issues (say, climate change, because you cant prioritise everything). So, the youth will suffer the consequences, but they are drowned out by the swarms of elderly voters who will not be affected.
Another argument is that older people have lower neuroplasticity, meaning that they will be more reticent to accepting new candidates(Navakkode, 2024). This prevents change.
However, others might feel that voting is a human right, so, after all, who is to judge?
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a basic democratic right that should not be taken away based on age alone. Many older people remain informed, mentally capable and actively involved in society and they have valuable life experience that can help them make thoughtful decisions. Removing their right to vote could be seen as unfair discrimination, similar to how excluding young people from voting has been criticized in debates about lowering the voting age.
However, others might disagree because they feel voting should reflect current society and future generations. They may argue that very old voters are less affected by long-term policies, such as climate change or education funding and that this could lead to decisions that do not fully consider the future. This links to the debate about whether 16 and 17-year-olds should vote, as both discussions focus on who should have the strongest voice in shaping the future.
Overall, instead of setting an upper age limit, a better solution may be to focus on education, accessibility and informed participation for voters of informed participation for voters of all ages, so elections remain fair, inclusive and representative of society as a whole.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a fundamental right which you have when you gain citizenship to a specific country. Voting is NOT based on competency or your social or monetary status, it is based on the fact that you are and will continue to be, a citizen. While I believe that young people can change the world for the better, neglecting the words of the older generation is not exactly a smart move since they carry a lifetime of experience on social and financial responsibilities, healthcare, pensions, community planning, etc. In the case of the Vatican, its rule is in a specific, non-democratic context (choosing a leader for a lifelong role) and is not supposed to be a model for national democracies.
However, others might disagree with me because they argue that old age can lead to mental degradation/deterioration. Or they might just have a reduced stake in long-term planning (climate policy, national debt). There's also the fact that voting should reflect the current society which is mostly inhabited by young people. However, to the Topical Talkers, I would like you to consider yourself (hopefully) growing old and being unable to contribute to society because you are deemed 'senile'. You are going to just continue remembering your glory days which may include this Festival. So, I implore you to remember that you may be old too someday and then, these decisions will affect you.
In conclusion, age alone is a poor and discriminatory standard for judgement or stake in society.
I believe that countries should have a maximum voting age.
As you get older your cognitive processes begin to slow making it harder for people to comprehend things. Take for example a recent car accident that occurred. An older female accidentally mistook the accelerator for the brake causing a major pileup. While this may not have been intentional her processing speed was too slow causing her to be unable to stop the accident from occurring. With that being said it may be hard for older voters to fully process the extent of voting, often times lacking the ability to even arrive at the voting place or comprehend the vast possibilities available to them.
While some may argue that everyone deserves the right to vote, they may not understand the harm that could come about. Older voters have a hard time keeping up with the times. Often, older voters are stuck on how things used to be in the past instead of how we can better our future. Which at times could lead to laws or harmful political leaders to be voted for instead of against which could have the greater effect on youth versus them.
I personally do not think that there should be a maximum age for voting because this is a fundamental right that should not be denied to anyone on the basis of their age. Older people are also able to follow the news and understand everything that is going on in politics. Moreover, they have more experience in life and can use this experience to make better decisions.
However, there are many people who may have a different opinion on this because they may think that this right should be given only to people who will live longer and see the impact of the decisions that are being made in their country. For example, they may not be worried about things such as global warming or education because they are already old. In addition, they may have poor health and cannot even remember things properly.
In conclusion, although there is a valid reason for having this rule in the Vatican, I personally do not see any problem with people being able to vote for life because they should be judged on their capability rather than their age.
I think that countries should not have a maximum voting age because it is not about the age, but it is about the brain, different perspectives and point of view. If countries had maximum voting age, old people could get depressed and they would be extremely sad and they would think that they are not great and their brains and minds are dead.
By the way, old people have marvelous mentalities, perspectives and ideas furthermore it is the right for them to participate in the elections. For example, my grandfather is really knowledgeable. Although we are in the technology world, he is still buying newspaper. He always talks with his friends about politics like the increase of money in goods and elections
Also, the legend, Professor and Doctor Magdy Yakob who is 90 years old. He is one of the most professional cardiac surgeons in the world. He did over 25000 Heart operations including 2500 heart transplant. Until now, he is still working as a pioneering cardiothoracic surgeon. Did you know that he has a hospital in Aswan called The Aswan Heart Centre? He is the manager of it.
All of these people are magnificent so why would we stop them from sharing in the elections? In my country, Egypt, elections are allowed for the age of 18 until death. This gives the sense to the old people that they are still important and needed.
To conclude, we must give old people their chance to participate in the elections and all people like with the age of 80 or even 16 must participate and share their point of view.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a basic democratic right that should last for a person’s entire life. Age alone does not decide whether someone understands society or politics. Many older people stay informed, follow the news closely, and have decades of experience that help them make thoughtful decisions. Removing their right to vote could be seen as unfair and discriminatory, especially when people of very different abilities are grouped together simply because of age. In a democracy, everyone affected by government decisions—such as pensions, healthcare, and public services—should have a say, and these issues often impact older citizens the most.
Another reason is that setting an upper age limit could create a dangerous precedent. If we start excluding people based on age, it raises questions about where the line should be drawn and who gets to decide it. Unlike Vatican City, which is a unique religious state with very specific rules, most countries are large, diverse democracies where voting should represent all generations equally.
However, others might disagree because they believe voting should reflect modern society and current challenges. They may argue that very old voters are less familiar with new technology, climate issues, or the experiences of younger generations, and that this could slow progress. Some also point out concerns about age-related cognitive decline.
Overall, while these concerns are understandable, they are not strong enough to justify taking away a lifelong democratic right.
I think countries should NOT have a maximum age for voting because getting older is a part of life, most individuals are going to experience it. The elderly voices should be heard as loud as the other voices in the country no matter the age. Older citizens might even be more experienced and knowledgeable about politics, than 25-40 year olds. Everyone who is eligible to vote should have the right to elect their top pick for president, and prime minister.
However, others might feel an opposite way because elderly people could be more influenced or "believe" propaganda and misleading information on the internet. In the lesson today, we had to vote on what age would be most influenced by social media, 80% of my classmates voted for 60+. This could reveal, since they didn't as much have technology in their generation as we have now, they may be confused on how to use social media platforms. Which could lead them to be manipulated to vote for one candidate because that is the person who keeps popping up on their algorithms .
In conclusion, I believe it is a right to vote even if an individual is a senior citizen.
Hi tenacious_map! Did you discuss what proportion of voters aged 60+ would likely be influenced by misleading information on social media? It is possible that a lot of the older generation might get their information from more traditional media such as radio, TV and newspapers - do you think these sources are more open to propaganda or less?
I believe that countries should have a maximum voting age. The laws and politics being voted in affect the young adults for a much longer time than someone above the age of 90. They impact the jobs, education, healthcare, and so much more for the newer generation. The laws can change their future for the better or for the worse. Even though these laws may also affect people above the age of 80, it significantly affects youth more. Not only this, people above the age of 80 don't always have views that are relevant to todays status quo. They can have narrower views about issues in the world because they were raised up in a world different from the one today. By giving them an equal vote as someone whose entire future depends on the laws being implemented, we take away potential policies that could benefit the next generation. While I understand that people over the age of 80 still watch the news and are involved, I still believe that we should prioritize building a world where the policies are based off of the opinions of people's whose life is being affected the most.
Why do you think the elderly would have narrower views? Is there any possibility this may be a generalisation?
I think strongly that countries should have an upper age limit for voting, and I don’t say that out of disrespect toward older people. It’s more about how voting shapes the future, and at a certain point, the consequences of those choices stop being something you personally have to live with. When I think about issues like climate change, housing, education, or government debt, I know my generation will be dealing with the results for decades, while some voters won’t be around to see whether those decisions worked or failed. However, others would argue that taking away the vote because of age is unfair and that many older voters are still informed and engaged. I understand that concern, but democracy already accepts limits in other areas, and this wouldn’t be about punishment or saying anyone’s opinion doesn’t matter. It would be about balance and making sure political power lines up with who will actually live through the long-term outcomes. For me, this isn’t about excluding people; it’s about making sure the future isn’t decided mostly by those who won’t have to face it. If anyone sees this differently or wants to build on this idea, I’m genuinely open to hearing other perspectives and continuing the discussion.
An impassioned argument, succinct_apricot! You make a valid point about the younger voter having to live with the consequences their decisions for longer, but do the older voters not have a wealth of experience to guide their voting? Could the argument be that voters aged 16 might lack enough life experience to make such important judgments? What might be the dangers of replacing older voters with relative inexperience in the voting system?
I do not believe countries should have an upper age limit for voting. While the rule in Vatican City may suit a small religious state, it would be unfair and undemocratic in normal national elections.
Supporters of an age limit argue that very elderly voters may not fully understand modern political issues. Society changes quickly and some feel that older people are less connected to the future. There is also concern that they may be more vulnerable to misinformation or have declining mental abilities, which could affect their judgement.
But these arguments are not strong enough to remove a basic democratic right. Voting is a right of citizenship, not a test of intelligence or technological knowledge. Many people over 80 remain active, informed and capable of making responsible decisions. Age alone does not determine someone’s ability to think clearly. In fact, older citizens often have valuable life experience and historical perspective that can help them evaluate political promises more wisely.
An upper age limit would also be discriminatory. We do not take away voting rights because of education level, disability or political opinions, so it would be uwrong to remove them simply because of age. Democracy should represent all adults, not only those considered young or modern.
Consequently, voting should be a lifelong right. Instead of restricting older voters, countries should focus on improving political education and helping citizens of all ages make informed choices.
I think that countries should have a maximum voting age of 80 years. That’s because older people have a different perspective of our world and cannot understand many of the issues of today such as climate change and technology issues.
In addition many old people suffer from brain diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s. That makes them unable to have critical thoughts and create an opinion about who should be a leader of a country.
Of course the idea of an exception for those people through some tests maybe would give older people the opportunity to vote but how capable is every country to run those tests for the thousands of old people who live in each country?
I believe that an age restriction to voting should be a measure taken globally. It’s very important that we let young people be more creative in our society and actually take part in voting. In my opinion, when elders -who tend to have more conservative ideologies- take up more than 50% of voters in a country, it discourages the young to try for a change since they feel like the their voice will never be heard. In addition to that, I believe that it’s time for youth to take over. If we strive for a change in society, the only people who we can trust are the newest generations. With seniors taking part in voting it’s a fact that we do not make room for change and development!
That was my opinion, what do you think?
Globally there are many countries that are still conservative where the society, especially elder people, express old-fashioned opinions. In these countries age restriction in voting would be a solution, however it’s not objective and it may result in social discriminations . Nevertheless , in my country, Greece, where the elderly make up a large part of the population , I think that it’s important to set an age limit because the youth should have a saying .
What do you think ?
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because we just have a common thought that after 80 years old may not be able to choose a young representative of any party as they haven't seen him or saw ruling but this above 80 years old people have a good knowledge in politics especially in Vatican City nearly 99% of the people whos age is more than 80 are highly educated and this age factor shouldn't be involved in voting
I think have a maximum voting age is unfair for people who have passed that age because everyone can have the choice to vote.
If a person want vote, he must have the right to vote. It's different if a old or young person with a mental problem want vote, because he doesn't have the skills and he hasn't in the condition to decide what to vote for, but a normal people should have the choice to vote or no.
As long as you are capable of thinking in a clear way, you can vote, there shouldn't be an age limit, maybe there are people who are 80 years old, that have voted for the whole life, they can think straight and they also follow what's happening in politics, i don't see why you should take away the right of voting from him
Can you say more on what you mean by 'capable of thinking in a clear way'? What do mean by 'clear' and how can we determine if somebody is capable of thinking in that way?
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because times change. Older people could have the same opinion as they did years ago and more traditional thoughts and not being open about the world changing. Some might disagree because older people are usually more experienced and wise but at a certain age they should let the younger people decide for their future, their live isn't finished but has pretty much passed. I think older people should give their opinion and pieces of advice to the teenagers and let the people from around 25 years old make the bigger decisions to their country. I dont think that 80 year olds don't understand anymore society or they stop caring about it but it's not about their coming but about ours and what's best for us.
I think that there should be a age limit because the older generation can be stuck in the past, in the fact that they don't trust the newer people running or they don't look into/research the younger leaders. The age limit is good because when you get older the way things work change as well, so the younger perspective are fresher and less 'problematic.' People might not agree with this because they say the older the wiser or that you are more responsible and fair, which is true it's just older people are stuck on the same idea or wouldn't like to expand to new ones. As the saying goes, 'you can't teach and old dog new tricks' I do think older people can teach younger generations how they should think about voting and the different angles they should look at. The older generations would be good teachers but they should also learn from younger generations. So it'll be like how the older generations that shouldn't vote anymore have 'passed their degree' and don't need to study anymore are the teachers and the people who can vote are students.
i think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a universal right, that every person, of every age and every kind can be vote without distinctions. Also a person who have more years don't have a different roles, because they can vote like everyone, because they still can decide with their mind.
Honestly, I don't really understand the reason why people that are not under their 80s can't vote. If the vote is universal and equal, why ancians can't vote? Another thing that comes in my mind, is that most of Italian people after their 80s are not even alive anymore, so it doesn't count much; but for those that are still alive, i'm very sorry, becuase I think it's important to considere the opinions of all the citiziens, apart of their age. Do you agree? If not, why?
I think countries shouldn't have a maximum voting age because you should be able to live and participate in your country's politc's life also when you're old.
I also understand that some people may think that being old means also having other perspectives that could go against the new society's ideals; that's why I partly understand their point of view of deciding a maximum age.
However, others might disagree because old people might be affected by some sort of mental issues and they could have important problems, that's why it can be a risk to let them vote after a certain age, but in my opinion, if someone is helped, by family or someone close to them, everyone should have the possibility to vote and live their life until their death.
I think countries shouldn't have a maximum voting age, because it shouldn't matter what age you are to vote, an old person can have a political vote, just because they are old doesn't
I do not agree with that point because we should vote around 18 years and above like kenya .they have limited and equal all time it is not good to vote when in 80 years because it is like gender descrimination and remeber youth are many than old people.
I do not agree with that point because we should vote around 18 years and above like kenya .they have limited and equal all time it is not good to vote when in 80 years because it is like gender descrimination and remeber youth are many than old people.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because as people get older, they gain more life and political experience. People above 70 have seen many governments and political parties come and go, so they often understand which parties keep their promises and which do not. Many older voters are also less active on social media and depend more on TV news or newspapers, which may make them less influenced by online trends or influencers.
A real-life example is Japan, which has one of the largestolder population but no upper age limit for voting. Older voters in Japan regularly take part in elections and have high turnout rates, showing that age does not stop people being responsible or informed voters.
Some people might argue that there should be a maximum voting age because elections should reflect current society and future generations, and very elderly voters may not be closely connected to issues like technology, climate change, or education. However, almost no democratic country uses an upper voting age, showing that experience and wisdom are valued over age limits.
In conclusion, experience should not be pushed aside just because of age. As the saying goes, “With age comes wisdom,” and in a democratic state, wisdom deserves a chance.
I think, that countries should have a maximum voting age according to the constituency of the country.
Because when during voting individuals are to pick any of the candidates competing for the post.
let's take for instance Nigeria, our voting age is from 18years and above because we want people who are matured to have the sense for voting and being voted for in Nigeria, allowing them to think responsibly and independently on who should rule us.
When presentation of the manifesto, matured people are to listen and know who is trying to influence our vote or doing the wrong by manipulation picking someone who is not able or sufficient to rule us.
In conclusion, I think that countries should have a maximum voting age that will suit young people and the matured for voting and avoiding manipulation, putting a bad leader.
I think that their is need to make a maximum age for voters, like maybe people from 80 upwards should not vote because,vthey have had their own experience of life and what they experienced years ago is different from what we youths experience ,also they have no much information about the present age, the things going on in our country ,if we let them to vote, will end up voting someone that would not lead well and then leave us to suffer the consequences of their decisions.
Thank you for commenting and sharing your thoughts! however, I do view the problem differently because in my opinion
Banning people with the age over 80 isn't just unfair but weak. Age does not determine someones intelligence and political understandings, and saying that they have "no information about the present age" is an assumption and not a fact. Many older elderly people are actually more informed than younger people who likes to rely on trends for political opinions. And claiming that the elderly people will "leave the youth to suffer" ignores a truth where everyone will face the consequences of bad leadership. If being out of touch is a reason to lose voting rights, then younger people who have never payed taxes and held a log term job should also not be qualified to vote. Democracy does not work by excluding citizens that are not "suitable" enough, because once you start deciding whose voice matter more or less, democracy breaks apart. If democracy only listen to people that are still young that's not protecting the future that's ruining it, because it would silence an entire generation and will definitely weaken democracy. You don't help strengthen a country by silencing those who helped built it.
I agree that experience matters but i disagree "many older people are actually more informed than younger people" to a certain extent i will say yes but the real concern is not just about information but perspective, each generation votes based on the world they knew and not the world we live . The challenges of today is very different from those of the past, for example issues like climate change, security and youth employment are problems of our today that older generations might not have experienced. Young people on the other hand are faced with this set of challenges and have different ways of facing it.
About your point on democracy don't forget that one of the pillars of democracy is a good government, the purpose of democracy is not to allow everyone to vote but voting the right government, the thing is how can we achieve a good government if the majority of votes comes from people that have no knowledge of our today's challenges.
Bear in mind that this does not mean silencing the elderly it means developing the voting process, it is worth consideration so as to protect government votes against outdated perspectives
Thanks for your response! I understand your point about perspective, but I am going to disagree with the idea that older generations only vote based on a world that no longer exists. When someone ages, their perspective does not stop evolving meaning that many elderly people actually still follow the current issues, such as climate change. Experience does not make someone get trapped in the past, it actually helps them recognize consequences that younger voters may not realize. And saying that younger people automatically understand today's political problems and challenges is misleading, facing a problem is not the same as understanding the problem.
now about democracy, you claimed that democracy's purpose is "not to allow everyone to vote but to vote the right government" is concerning. Because democracy does not guarantee you to get a good government, what democracy guarantee is a fair process that comes from equal participation. History shows that deciding whose view are "outdated" and whose views are not is subjective and is often used to exclude/ignore inconvenient voices. Saying "this is not silencing the elderly but developing the voting process" does not really change the outcome of the action, because removing someones voting rights based on age is still an exclusion. If outdated perspectives is your concern, then the solution should be better political education, not taking away a fundamental right. Democracy is strongest when it can balance different generations, not when it protects it self by narrowing the participation.
I think there should be an upper age limit for voting, because elderly folks seem to like their kind. What do I mean? People of a particular generation often like and believe their fellow people. People above 80 are slowly losing their creative and mental capacities. Not that they cannot think anymore, but that their ability to think and remember is slowly fading away. People of old age should focus more on rest and keeping themselves healthy and strong rather than political involvement.
However, youths should be the ones more interested, as they are the ones who will see the far future of the country. Elderly people should place their priorities on more important things rather than things that won't matter to them in a few years from now.
Thanks for your opinion but I don't fully support it. I get your "angle of reasoning" but that does not really cancel out the right to vote for elderly people. Imagine a situation, where older people won't be allowed to vote because of there age. I don't see the point of putting a prohibiting elderly people from voting. Age doesn't really determines someone's knowledge and reasoning. There is a saying that says, "Age is just a number". These implies that age doesn't really determines someone's potential, abilities or knowledge. So, I don't think that adding a maximum age to remove old people is a "good idea". No matter the age of an individual, he/she still has the knowledge required to vote people whether old or young.
I think that older people should be given the choice and privilege of voting. I think that the older people should actually decide whether they want to vote because as long as they live, the country is their's as long as well as our's.
I disagree because I think there should be no limit on voting age. Yes, people above 80 have a slower speed of processing, and their memory for new information may decrease. But people above the age of 80 have the same crystallized intelligence throughout their lives, things like vocabulary, knowledge, and wisdom stay the same, and may even improve. This proves that old people still have the ability to think and come up with new ideas and have opinions. Also, people at the age of 80 have experience, which they can help pass on to the future generation, and can help share the mistakes they made and what makes a good president/ prime minister. In addition, voting is a basic democratic right, and age alone should not take away someone's right to participate in their country's future, even if they are old. Not all older adults are the same, many are healthy, informed, and active in their communitity . It would be unfair to judge seniors based on sterotypes . Younger voters also have a weakness, such as less life experience, yet we still trust them to vote at the age of 18. Older people have lived through major historical events, economic struggles and political changes . A true country should include everyone from all generations , I feel like and not exclude jst because someone is old.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a democratic right, and people should not lose that right because they are older. Older people have many life experiences and hold very valid viewpoints; they still have emotions and recognize that their votes can impact society, making their political views highly relevant. We should not forget that older citizens were still under a government at the time, and they have very valid political views, some of which could help avoid past mistakes caused by bad leaders elected. So, there should not be a maximum voting age because older citizens still have valid viewpoints.
However, others might disagree because they believe that voting should reflect modern-day society, and the results of elections should have a greater impact on younger people than on older people.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because old people can be threatened by touts they could vote for the wrong person while trying to protect their life. Some parents can also be manipulated while trying to protect their family.However, others might disagree because if adluts do not vote who would vote
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because getting old doesn’t mean that now you don’t have any idea of political. In my view, voting is a basic right that all should have because we need to decide what is the best for our country. Why cannot an old people vote? They also care for our world. There are many old people that are aware of politics and maybe they know more than young people.
However other might disagree because as they have been in the world more than young people, maybe a political party have governed in the past and they didn’t like it so they don’t vote that one but this doesn’t mean it will still be bad because many political party have improved from the past.
In conclusion, voting age should not get a maximum age.
I think countries should not have a max voting age because the older people are the more mature they are however others might disagree because some older people have problems with their head and brain 🧠.
I honestly feel that having a maximum age to voting would be superb and clear move to make. "CLEAR" in the sense that voting would be left for those who are still politically aware and active about what happens around them. Having a person that is above the age of 70 to vote in an election might seem unfit because we are speaking about the well being of the country and its people, so allowing people this old that aren't really informed about what is happening in their country would bring about wrong decision making. Reasons because these people are in their retirement and dependent stage, so they are mostly taken care of by this time.
So I personally would suggest they restrict voting to people of age 60 upwards. THANK YOU.
hello proactive_swan! Thank you for your comment, however do view the problem quite differently.
Political awareness does not just disappear at age 70, and being retired does not make someone uninformed and unaware about political issues. Many older citizens still read the news, actively follow politics and maybe have a better understanding than the younger voters who only engage during voting/selection season. If being "politically inactive" is the problem thang using age to measure political awareness is the worse way to measure it because there will always be an uninformed voters at every age including young people. Voting is a basic human right and I don't think anyone should lose it just because off their age, once voting are removed based on age than democracy becomes unfair, selective, and biased. and when a country starts deciding which citizens are "too old" to matter and to vote, it proves that the country does care about democracy at all.
I agree that "political awareness does not just disappear at 70 and being retired does not make someone uninformed about political issues".
The thing is not just about the information they get from news-papers or even television channels they watch it is about their perspective. Perspective is shaped by the world they grew up in and the challenges they faced.
They most times face political decisions through their life long experiences, these are important but they are not really inline with our todays challenges. The big difference in perspective is what makes their votes irrelevant in the problems that will shape our society for years.
Also as much as their is democracy in voting, voting must balance with fairness and most especially wisdom.
Respecting the votes of the elderly is important,but ensuring that we the younger generation who will live longest with the political decisions should take a greater role in making those decisions.
Just because their perspectives come from a different era does not mean that it's irrelevant, calling the elderly's vote irrelevant is not just unfair but its also age based discrimination dressed up as concern for the future. In my opinion, the argument that younger people deserves greater power to vote because they live longer is wrong, because democracy is not a system where voting rights are measured by remaining life span. If that was the case, then we can start excluding anyone based on health, income or even social status. Younger votes may face todays challenges, but older generations have seen the consequences of rushed decisions and that makes them have more wisdom. And if a democracy decides who's voice matter more or less than its no longer a democracy, its just a system that chooses convenience over justice.
You say that older citizens bring wisdom from past experiences (totally agree) my point is that wisdom from past ages doesn't always solve today's challenges in our society the problems with deal with now requires perpective of the current realities not just experience from a different age.
So while age and experience matters, they don't 'match the problems of our today.
Democracy says that every voice of a citizen matters ,however when discussing voting power between the younger ones and the elderly, it is important to know that not everybody has the same perspectives, older people, often view issues through their past experience, descisions that were made years ago might have been wise for their time, but yet they cannot resolve the issues we face in our today's world,that is why perspectives of our current today's world really matters.
So then, while respecting the rights of the elderly is important, wisdom in democracy matters, ensuring that our descisions are alligned with todays challenges.
Democracy is not just about including everyones voice,it is about making decisions in a way that answers todays challenges.
Thank you for your response eloquent_duck! However, I do disagree with the idea that older citizens perspectives are less relevant simply just because they come from past experience.
Todays challenges did not appear out of nowhere, issues like economic stability, misinformation, and maybe even climate change are the results of long term decisions. Older generations have lived through those moments and that gives them context, knowledge and not irrelevance. In my opinion, claiming that older people can't understand modern realities is unfair generalization. A lot of elderly citizens actually still follows current events, and is still politically informed, perspective is shaped by someones engagement in a problem and not by age alone. And most importantly, democracy is built on a political equality not by how "modern" someone is and once we start deciding that some perspectives matter more or less than others. Excluding, ignoring and weakening the voices of older citizens is not "progress" its discrimination.
I think countries shouldn't have a maximum voting age because elderly people will want to have a say in what happens to their country. Elderly people will also feel strongly about what happens when their retirement comes around.
However some people will think that they don't have long left but this is wrong as they should enjoy how long they have.
This is like the same idea that young people should have a vote which they should.
Not at all. I get that voting is a sacred duty, but it needs to be done with awareness and the ability to adapt to a changing world like the one we are living. Anything is under 80 is just fine, aty least each person voting is doing so with full understanding and is able to enegage with the present day issues. Picture a world were the voting age is increased beyond 80, policies would lag behind reality, the younger generation who have dreams and visions would not be implemeneted because the elderly will still be in the voting system. The future should not be entirely be influenced by those older than us, we need adults who are up-to-date with the happenings of the society.
Sharp lives should go before long lives, if we upper the age, we are handing over the struggles of the future into the hands of those who may no longer see it clearly. Votes should be maintained amongst those who can truly guide tomorrow.
CHEERS FOR READING THIS FAR!!!😁👍
hi topical talkers I think that it's completely unfair that the voting limit should not exceed 80 years because just like young people don't like being tilde that they are too young, old people also don't like being told that they are too old. Age does not decide how well informed and responsible people are. For example, many old people have lived through wars, experienced devastating crises and political change and removing their right to vote and share their experienced opinions makes them feel excluded and some people just age differently!! So yeah, instead of limiting voting for people democracy works best when everyone has a voice not when voices are removed.
signing off: fair minded elephant
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because although some people over 80 do not have the same capacity as before or quite lower, there are many others that do and it would be unfair to take away this right for them. They are completely part of our society, so they should take part in it.
For example, my grandfather is nearly 80 and he watches everyday the news and is really concerned about politics. He is even more aware than me and my parents because he has more free time to be informed about it.
However, it's true that others may not have the same capacities or won't have the same interest. Besides, they are a collective that is easy to manipulate, which also is a problem regarding elections.
In conclusion, I think they should have the right to vote, because they are part of the society but it's true that not all of them are going to be able to use correctly this right. Either way, I believe it is worth it because many can benefit from that right.
Good day topical talk, to me personally an old person should not be stopped from voting or taking part in government activities because it is stated in the Universal Declaration of human rights, under political rights, every citizen has to right to participate in government, including the right to vote or to be vote for. Our world today needs old people because they are the once that guided us to where some of are today we need to learn from them and know more about our society we cant just condemn their rights because they are old and not physically fit.
As I see it, countries should not have a maximum voting age because ederly people are still part of the country and the laws and taxes affect them even more than young people. Besides, I beleive that evereyone should have its own opinion in things related with people`s life.
Although i have just said I would not set a maximum age, I wouldn´t let higly disabled people that can´t think for their own or even take decisions because obiously they with choose whatever people who takes care of them want.
I want to say that I`m enjoying so much this festival.
I hope you enjoy and share my opinion.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because when people get old,they don't lose knowledge and don't stop understanding the things that happen around them. Democracy is for everyone to vote and give and opinion to who they think is the best to lead their country,so I don't think it would be fair to have a democracy if older people and seniors can't vote. Then this wouldn't be a democracy. What if the majority of the population are seniors and are old,can they not be able to vote now?, who will vote?
If the UK is thinking about letting younger people vote like 16 and 17 year olds, but what about the older generation?, I think just as well as we want our voices to be heard, they want theirs to be heard too.
However, others might disagree because some think that the older you get, the more close minded you become and many assume that old people cant handle new things and want things to be done in an old fashioned way. I think that this is a stereotype that doesn't apply to all old people, who are willing to make a change and vote for their country. I believe that if you are over 80 and are physically and mentally able, you should vote, because your vote counts.
I think that Countries should not have an upper age limit for voting.
Voting is a basic democratic right, and age alone does not decide how informed or capable a person is. Many older people have valuable life experience and a strong understanding of politics. Removing their right to vote could be seen as unfair and discriminatory.
Instead of focusing on age limits, countries should encourage all citizens, young and old, to stay informed and involved in society.
I think that countries should make voting for every age because it is not fair for 80-years-old to watch others vote while they can't vote because of the rule. And what would happen if they allowed 80-year-olds to vote?
At first, Pope Paul VI thought of limiting the voting age to 80 because 80-year-olds might have Alzheimer's disease, mental damage, or even physical damage. This causes an 80-year-old to pick the wrong person in the elections. So that's why they made this rule in Vatican City.
I personally think that again, countries should not make limiting age for voting because what if the 80-year-old is completely fine and doesn't have any problem, and they still want to vote.
I see that countries should allow voting for life.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because older people could have experienced elections and they know what to do. However, others might disagree with me because they might think older people do not know a lot about the current events and some have never voted before. But most older people know a lot more about elections like for example, you are 70 years old and there is an election going on and you know how to vote because you have done it many times and you remember how to do it every time. Even if older people never experienced voting before, older people can be intelligent and they understand the instructions on how to do it. In conclusion, I think older people should be able to vote because we don't know if they are intelligent or not, and we don’t know if they have experienced what they are voting about or not. But we don't check any one's understanding of who or what they are voting on, so why would we question an older person?
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because they have freedom to vote, and freedom to express their opinions. When older people don't have a right to express their opinions it becomes unfair. Most older people are lawful citizens it would be unfair for them not to vote. Usually older people are wise, and have opinions on who they should vote. If there is a maximum age of voting then older people wouldn't have the right to express what they think and believe about the candidates. Although they are still old they still have beliefs and rights. I believe they should have a right to vote because they wont be able to vote on what impacts them. For example someone might believe the opposite and say they shouldn't vote because they are gullible and old.
Hey! So, the Vatican City rule about 80+ can vote is only in Papal Conclave. So don't get confused other Topical Talkers! But, I believe that 80 and over should be able to vote, as there are many political figures that are over 80. Such as Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is democratic and 92. If political figures like him couldn't vote, it would de-legitimize voting in the US. Most likely causing a boycott or rebellion. Have a good commenting session Topical Talkers!
Can you say more on why you think there would be a boycott or a rebellion?
I disagree because the presence of elderly political figures is not an indicator of their capability, nor the capability of other elderly citizens. Just because there ARE elderly senators and presidents does not mean that they are or are capable of doing their jobs right - and even if a few are, there is no indication that this is a majority - especially when one can easily find a list of political figures with questionable wellness with minimum research. For example, people are and were concerned about the age of Senator Mitch McConnell, Dianne Feinstein, the UK's Jeremy Corbyn, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, just to name a few.
Biden turned 80 while in office and had to be withdrawn from running for a second term due to his severe mental decline. Yet still, he was in office for four years - running a country for four years, when he was not mentally well enough to do so. Thus, if political figures over 80 are suffering from dementia, what is to say that voters over 80 are not, especially when statistics show that an overwhelming 73% of older adults are?
Likewise, having a great deal of politicians fall within this age range makes one question whether maximum age limits for politicians should become more common - as they are in countries such as Malaysia and Uganda.
In conclusion, the argument that the presence of an elderly senator such as Sen. Grassley should justify the cognitive ability of 59 million (in the U.S.A.) and 730 - 875 million elderly people (in the world), when disproved by other cases, seems invalid to me.
I think that countries should not have an upper age for voting because old people have their own identity card for their country and it is also their right to vote.Some people are old but they have politics in their own fingertips they know about right and wrong because some see news and they express what they know in mind than the young generation.
However others might disagree because they underate the old ones and some also say that they are weak and cannot be able to vote and it is right to have a maximum age of voting.
I believe that it is not right to discriminate against the old ones.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because people who have lived more know more about politics and understand the consequences of every kind of goverment. However, others might disagree because they might think that older people might make a wrong decition.
I reckon that there shouldn't be a maximum voting age because even though people get older, they continue to stay informed about what's happening nowadays in the world. For instance, elderly people that usually have more time than young individuals follow the news and they are constantly aware of the politics in their countries. Nontheless, the real issue is that they don't really know what they can rely on or not. But this is a problem for those of us who understand it, as AI, which can trick us if we don't know how to differenciate it from real things.
As this is not their fault, I don't consider that this needs to be changed by them. We are those ones who need to change it.
I think there should be an age limit because if anyone could vote it would be very hard to count votes for example if a 4-year old were to vote they might not know what their voting for. another example is if a 4-year old were to vote you might not be able to read what they write. but due to an age limit for voting some people are seeing the bad side of it which is seeing as 18 is way to long to wait. they also probably think 16-year olds are just as mature as an 18-year old.
I BELIVE VOTING SHOULD BE A RIGHT FOR LIFE ,SO EVERYONE ,CAN HELP SHAPE SOCIETY
When the time to vote comes, some people with more of 80 years don't have the opportunity to give their opinion.
Personally, I feel this topic is really important and exciting because it helps us to think a little about others and realize other things we didn't know.
Firstly, in my view, people over 80 years old should be able to give their opinion. EVERYONE in this world might have the opportunity and the right of express their ideas and opinions freely.
Secondly, I'm convinced that they know more than younger people, they have more experience in life, they can tell us things we didn't know about the past and can help us when we have to vote!
Such as our grandparents who always have some anecdote or something to tell us, with that, we can learn.
However, others might disagree with me because they think older people don't know anything, and they don't have idea about the real world.
All in all, voting shouldn't depend if we are more of 80 years, they should be able to vote. Besides, older people whatched the news and TV more frequently than younger people.
I am currently over the fence for what to choose, I'm going to explain why each side is correct.
For it being correct, older generation 60-70 are more exposed to falsified Information and are easily deceived leading into a large mass of the population voting for someone against their advantage as they were fooled.
So I think that having a limit is a good idea to have less unwanted votes.
And for the against part of the argument, I think that everyone has their opinion and they should leave it to be observed. Not all older generations are fooled easily and some are even got in the politic major back when they were young.
A limit, limits the person's ability to express their opinion whatever it is. A limit shouldn't be existent.
In your opinion which side wins?
I agree because I think you have addressed the complexities of this situation very well.
While I can see potential risks with some elderly people voting, it feels ethically wrong to restrict anyone from having a say, especially when they might offer a sage perspective based on their previous experiences that younger generations cannot.
In my opinion, a nuanced view wins - we cannot narrow an entire group of people to one decision deciding the value of their voice as a whole.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because elders can be easily manipulated through inaccurate news articles, social media and fake promises. Young people are generally better at figuring out if a candidate is lying about future projects because they know the way things work in the country, what's possible to achieve and what's not. For example, in my country during the last election people had to vote a second time because it was discovered that the first time there had been a lot of manipulation on social platforms like TikTok. Influencers were promoting candidates using false claims. Some were even faking diplomas in order to drag other candidates down. Older people are not used to technology, meaning they have a hard time identifying what's real online and what's edited. I think this causes them to be an easy target, which is not fair, but if they don't know how things are evolving, then they shouldn't blindly vote. Another example would be the older generation criticizes the new tech a lot. During talk of modernizing schools they could say that everything was better years ago when advanced technology wasn't a thing and then proceed to vote for someone who will do nothing to improve schools. However, others might disagree because not being able to vote could affect their rights, like access to health care. Young voters may forget to consider older people's needs. Still, I believe young people are able to vote a good leader, taking in consideration their needs. A lot of them have older people in their lives, wether it's a parent, grandparent or a neighbor
You raise multiple valid points on complex areas; certainly the level of exposure to technology and the pace of change of it that one has could impact the level of importance they provide it when voting for the future ruling party. Do you think young voters would truly be benevolently neutral in all circumstances? Suppose for example their vote meant the difference between state pension increase for those that have retired versus improved university access for young generations (i.e. investing in actual quality of life for the elderly, or potential quality of life for the young): if young people were the voting class and one option were more beneficial to them, would there be fair consideration of older people's needs?
I think young people wish for improved university access for a few reasons. One of them would be that the better a degree the more job opportunities, which leads to a higher salary and later a good pension. I think that the young generation is able to consider the needs of the elderly, if not for the retirees sake, then at least for their own.
Once they finally get to retire and stay at home all day long, people typically contemplate their life and smile at how far they've come. However, if the pension is small and they can barely afford medicine or they are living from one meal to another, it means it was an entire life of hard work, jumping from one level to another, only to struggle when most vulnerable. I believe this affects younger people too, because they won't stay young forever. They need to think of how every decision affects their future. Also, they usually have an elderly person in their lives, whether it is a family member or a neighbor, whose struggles they notice. While voting, they would inevitably be faced with the thought of those people not receiving the help they need, which would make them more inclined to choose what's best for all age groups, not just one. At least in my country, I've noticed there are plenty of students that do charity work for older people, which shows they do not lack empathy. In fact, the certificates earned from volunteering can earn them a place at their dream university. So, there's a link between the two.
I don't think countries should have an upper age limit for voting. I think that all adults should have the right to vote and that everyone should be given the opportunity to say what they think. Also, I've noticed lately that older people have very different opinions than younger people, and sometimes even better ones. For example, I have a grandfather who is 89 years old, he has a very good daily routine and common sense. He watches the news on TV every day, and you can always hear something smart from him. I'm often suprised by how much he remembers everything he's been through, and I think he could talk to me about it all day. It's very interesting to listen to him when he compares the world today with whe one he was in 60 years ago, he always tells me about how better times were before, when there were no wars and when we were all happy and content with what we had. I've also heard that families used to be much bigger and that everyone lived in one house, but nowadays, people build new houses and then move to some distant country and never come back. I belive that older people have much more experience from their own lives, that they sometimes see some problems better than we do, and that they could certainly give some good advice for improving today's world.
I believe that countries should not have an upper age limit for voting because voting is a fundamental right for all citizens. Age alone does not determine a person's understanding of society. Many old people such as my grandpa, stay informed and engaged discussing politics, healthcare and elections, and their experiences can guide decisions that affect the whole country. In Canada, older voters provide perspective on long term issues like healthcare, and national debt and more. Which younger people may not fully understand yet. While some argue that very old voters may struggle with modern issues or cognitive decline, the problem is not age itself , but information and health. Some young people are uninformed,a nd some older people are highly knowledgeable. Instead of setting an age limit, countries could consider mental capactiy or health checks in rare cases, ensuring fairness without discriminaton, older citizens often carry historical knowledge and life experiences that can guide society through difficult decisions, from economic crises to healthcare. Unlike vatican City, where voters mast be under 80, Canadian democracy represents all citizens, young and old alike. In conclusion voting should be a right for life, allowing citizens regardless of age, to help shape society based on there expereicnes, knowledge and values. By including older voters, we resepect their contribution and make sure that democracy helps show the voices of everyone who lives in our countries.
As I have stated before, I strongly think countries should have an upper age limit for voting, and I don’t say that out of disrespect toward older people. This isn’t about intelligence or whether someone’s opinions still matter. It’s about how voting shapes the future and who will actually live with the consequences of those choices.
The majority of today’s biggest political decisions, like climate policy, housing, education, and government debt, play out over decades. Younger generations will spend most of their lives dealing with the results, while some voters will never see whether those decisions worked or failed. That creates an imbalance. Voting isn’t just a way to express an opinion in the present, its also a form of responsibility toward the future.
Others would argue that removing voting rights based on age is unfair, especially since many older voters remain informed and engaged. That concern is valid. However, democracies already accept age limits in other areas, such as minimum voting ages, because age can affect how decisions connect to lived experience. An upper age limit wouldn’t be about punishment or exclusion. It would be about balance.
For me, this debate comes down to intergenerational fairness. If democracy is meant to represent those most affected by its decisions, it’s reasonable to ask whether political power should reflect who will actually live long enough to experience the longterm consequences.
You raise reasonable arguments that democratic decisions should be driven by those most effected by it in the future, and that young people may better be motivated to vote for the long term benefit than the short term gain. How would this happen in practice however; at what age would those priorities shift that a person's vote should no longer count?
I think that there shouldn't be a maximum age to vote. Just because one might be growing older does not neccesarily mean that they will loose their knowlodge. Older voters might even have more knowlodge than younger voters because they've seen what problems have occured in the past, and what worked. With this knowlodge, they could predict with better accuracy than most what would happen, and act acordingly. Some people might disagree because they believe that old people could easily forget things, and would be easily swayed in opinion online. However, I firmly think otherwise. Not all people loose their memory or have swayable opinions, and if we have a maximum voting age, it'll take away opportunities for all people with old age to vote. In conclusion, I believe that there shouldn't be a maximum age to vote because it should almost be obvious. Any one with a developed prefrontal cortex should be able to vote.
I believe that yes, countries should have a maximum voting age. Although some older people have wisdom, their ideas and views are very different from younger people, the generation that is more affected by decisions. Yes, older people are more experienced, however what they decide to vote for doesn't affect them nearly as much as the younger generations, and despite many of them still wanting a say, things that affect them are much more different than what impacts a younger regular citizen's life. However, I am aware that not all elderly people are senile, but I believe we should focus mainly on the main actors being affected. I believe in an alternative: Elderly people should only be allowed to vote on things that directly and majorly affect them. This prevents decisions that don't impact them as much as others be affected by their votes and prejudices, and still gives them a say in what is important to them. I under stand that from the other point of view, not all elderly people are senile, and they still deserve a say in what their country does, and I agree with both of those ideas, but personally, I believe that there should still be a limit to voting age. Thank you.
I don't agree with you. Voting is a privilege that comes with citizens of a country. Even though that elderly people are old, they should still have a say in what happens to the country. As youth, we often say that our voices aren't heard, so I don't think it would be fair to repeat the same thing to older people. There is usually a saying "Do what you want others to do for you". Personally, I think that even when I am old i would still want to be involved in the voting process. The thing about life is that we will all grow up and be old, that doesn't mean we can't vote.
I believe there shouldn't be a specific voting age because age has absolutely no bearing on a person's thinking. A person can be young but wise, serious, and thoughtful. Also, the older a person gets, the more they learn from life. Even if someone is young, they are always taught life lessons by older people, which means they understand life and can express their opinions freely. There is no need to set a specific voting age.
Honestly, what I believe is that countries should have a maximum voting age.
But why? Am I cruel to think that? I don't think so. :)
We all think that young children don't have the right to vote due to their inexperience, but what about old grandparents? For me, I was told multiple times that when you become old, your brain tends to devolve and sometimes you can't straight. Thus, you have become a baby once again. Though, elders do have a long list of experiences and have most likely lived a full life (But can they remember it?).
But how is this linked to why I believe there should be a maximum voting age? Well, I was providing a reason for why I think elders have a little bit of a similar mentality to that of a toddler. I believe that once you turn old, you may have other things to worry about besides politics, like your family, what state of wealth you're in, and many other things (Though, that isn't true for all.) Also, elders can become rather stubborn with opinions, and aren't exactly open to newer ones.
We all say that the new generation will shape the future, so why don't we let that happen?
You make some generalisations here about elderly people and I think lots of them would be offended by your assumption that their brains have a similar mentality to a toddler. Whilst some diseases, like dementia and Alzheimer's, might diminish cognitive ability, this is certainly not true for all elderly people.
I strongly believe that countries should have maximum voting age just like how we have minimum voting age. Some may say that this would sound rude or sound impolite, but I think we need to be able to approach this topic with some more logical thoughts. Politics and election for the leader for the whole country is not just a simple thing that we can decide based on our feeling, but it's something that we need to be more considerate towards as this is what can be responsible for the whole country.
First of all, I'd like to ask something based on our idea of minimum age, which is already formed in many countries. What is the reason we have minimum voting age? Isn't it because we believe that their brain is not fully developed yet to be able to make a such important decision like election? If it were, then I would like to tell you that logic can be applied to the idea of maximum age as well.
According to the University of Cambridge, their study has shown that the human brain experiences significant changes and decline at the age around 66-83. As you can see from this study from University of Cambridge, as we age, our brain may actually experience decline, and for this reason opposite of the idea of minimum age, our brain may not have enough capacity to make important decisions that can decide the fate of the country.
However, I'm opened to listen to other people's opinion as well. Please share your ideas if you have anything to talk about my opinion! Thank you for reading my comment.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because the older people are also citizens that need to have the same rights as young people to vote,also they have more experience on voting than younger people,I also think countries should not have a maximum voting age because also older people need to pay taxes,food,house...
The older people are interested in politics,for example my grandma saw the news all the days in the phone,TV,radio.
Older people have much more experience voting,as they have spent many years throughout their lives voting and know what they need to vote for.
On older people having more experience in voting - do you think experience makes them go for smarter choices? If so, would that be a reason why they should keep voting?
I think countries should not have a maximun voting age, the reason for this is that they have more experience of life, they have lived things that younger people haven´t, they know things that happend when they were younger and some countries might be in some similar situations. I also defend this state because if in some countries people under the age of eighteen have the right to vote, elderly people should be also taken part of voting.
While lots of younger people can be influenced by the technology and social media, most of the older people doesn´t know how to control it and if so, they don´t let them influence their decission over something they have just seen, and if they wanted to know if what they´ve just heard or saw is real, they would check it up for seeing if its true or is something that someone has made up for people to vote whoever they want.
I defend my opinion because I think everyone should have the right to vote without taking into account they´re age, because they can contribute a lot throughout the voting although we should always know the mental health of the person who is voting because elderly people has usually more health problems than the younger ones.
You raise a valid point that older people will have varied experience, and through this lived knowledge of historic events. In Spain this could be particularly pertinent, with older persons having lived knowledge of rule under Franco and the dangers of authoritarian regime.
In a modern world where technology develops rapidly and institutions like the EU change how individual countries operate within the global geopolitical environment, is there a danger of older generations voting based on what they know and believe is best based on those historic experiences, without fresh consideration on what may be best in the world as it exists and the direction it is evolving in today?
In my opinion, the right to vote should be present in everyone that has the conscience and the capacity to decide for themselves. Being an old person doesn´t mean you can´t understand the society and take part in voting. I would say that even the vote of some elders should be more valuable as they have a great knowledge and experience of life. In some ancient greek cities, where the concept of "democracy" emerged (translated from greek means "the town power"), there were councils where the first votes were held. These councils were mostly constituted by old wise people! I know this took place more than two millennia ago, but what I am trying to say is that the vote of old sage people is very important for our society. Maybe, if that person has a disease which incapacitates him or her from a reasonable thinking, I understand to quit the right to vote, as it would be the decision of an external person. However, this can happens at every age of the life, as well as happens with minors, which don´t have the enough conscience to have a proper vote.
i think countries should not have a maximum voting age because you should be able to vote for who you want despite your age. some young people of the age of 16-18/19 do not really vote for who they want. They vote for someone randomly making a person who is most disliked win the vote. its better if the voting age is 21 and above then 80 and below. The young adults sometimes are not matured enough to vote taking it like a joke while the person who wins could change something they would highly disagree with
It's a reasonable argument that a young person may not vote with maturity. Why do you suppose that maturity is achieved at the age of 21, and how does that argument play in to limiting the voting age to below 80?
i think there should be a maximum age as they could get older and may fall ill which is not good for voting. also some older people do not know how to work technology so they might just pick someone and it might be a really bad idea but they would not know because they do not know how to work it. on the other hand i think some older people should be allowed to vote so in my opinion the maximum age should be 80 thank you.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because some people over 60, 70 or even 80 and 90 know things better than younger adults. Not to mention that 16-17 might be able to vote so it wouldn't be fair on the people over 60 years old. Older people often discuss how the days have changed, what happened when they were young and could know a thing or two about healthcare, elections and other stuff that might be important when voting
However, others might disagree due to some older voters might be sick and unwell enough to not be able to vote or might not understand about the technology we use right now from how they used to use it back then.
My point is, countries shouldn't have an age voting limit because no matter how old you are, you should get a chance to vote.
i think we should keep the age of voting at 18 due to people under that age who are not as mature and they probably would not know who to vote for. If we were to change the age then we should probably discuss it before you make the change!
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I disagree that countries should have a maximum voting age, voting has nothing to do with physical strength but it does have something to do with experience and judgement, older people tend to have more experiences with political changes and wars more than young people. Democracy is built on the idea that every citizen counts, not just the ones who are younger and more convenient, if we say "you are too old to vote" then what's next? too poor, too different to be able to vote? this behavior does not aligns with democracy.
That being said, after reading other peoples comments I get why some people might think that a country should have a maximum voting age. Their main concern is that election depends on voters being able to understand the information, and sometimes older people can't recognize misinformation. But in my opinion, a better solution isn't cutting people out, it's making sure no matter how old or how young they are they are still informed, heard and also represented.
Democracy doesn't work by silencing other people that we disagree with, it works by letting all voices get heard. Because, in a real democracy your voice doesn't expire.
I believe that countries should not limit the voting age. An old man that is a citizen older than 80 doesn’t mean that he loses the right to vote. Even if he is so old, he is still a human. Why can't he vote? It’s not his fault to be old, every one will get old when they are supposed to. On the other hand maybe some people might think that he is too old to know and think who is he voting for. After all, I still think that the pope should remove that rule.
I think countries should not have maximum voting age because voting is a basic human right that should last for a person's entire life. When someone is trusted to vote as an adult, that right should not be taken away just because they are getting older. Older people still pay taxes, follow laws, and are affected by the goverment decisions, so their voices just matter as much as other people's.
Another important reason is that older people have more life experience and more knowledge then younger people. They have seen how different goverment works and how past decisions affect society. This experience can help them make thoughtful and responsible choices when voting. Their opinion can also balance younger people's views and help create decisions that are fair for people of all ages.
Lastly, having a maximum voting age could be unfair and disrespectful. Not all older people have memory or health problems, and many are still active, independent, and informed. Judging people only by their age is not right, adults are meant to give votes. Instead of limiting the votes, goverment should focus on helping the citizens understand the election so everyone can take their part in democracy.
I disagree because if a country's election is been taken by people from 80 above they might for instance vote for old people like themselves instead of voting for a strong and agile leader, which might lead to close death, and loss of memory which are symptoms of old age.
I disagree because I think old people should not vote so as to avoid having an old leader which might lead to death and loss of memory which are symptoms of old age.
I think that if people vote, they should not have a limit because even though if you are very old, you should still be able to vote because every person should be able to say if they want this or something else but whatever your age Is , I think they should be able to. Thanks😊
I personally believe that countries should not have a maximum age limit for voting.
I personally cannot argue the fact that taking away a core democratic right like voting due to age, is discriminatory. I believe that having older people voting is best for the society because older people tend to bring about stability, experience, consistent participation and even a long term historical perspective. Older voters have lived through past policies and reforms so, this helps them to judge whether new ideas are genuinely innovative or recycled failure. I personally believe that a healthy democracy is not one that deals with age but one that deals with inter-generational concerns meaning they care about their children and even grandchildren. Some may argue that old people may decide to prioritise immediate benefits like pensions and healthcare than things like child care and education. Some can also argue the fact that some old people suffer from diseases like dementia which causes decline in memory and thinking.
In conclusion, I personally believe that old people's right to vote should not be taken away due to anything.
We think everyone should be vote because it s a fundamental way to participate in the decision making of the country as well as having their voices heard about issues that affect them. The older generation have years and life experience to know what works for us and what doesn't in a country they have lived in for years.
On the contrary, when you become older, some people 80 or above may not be medically capable to make the right decisions when voting. As researched, the life expectancy in the UK is 83 for women and 79 for men therefore, their vote may not affect their future at all.
I feel that a maximum voting age should be implemented because studies, such as Krosnick, J. A. and Alwin, D. F. (1989) Age and Susceptibility to Attitude Change, have shown that the older you get, the less likely it is for them to adopt opinions and for yours to change such as. Although the older generations are affected by the government’s decisions, in my opinion voting is about trying to secure the best future for the generations to come, which is a greater concern for the younger citizens. The older generation is more likely to be concerned about what is relevant for them and to bring closure to the experiences they had when they were younger.
In some countries there is a maximum age that someone can become president. If you cannot rely on a president after a specific age to run the country properly, then is it fair to let citizens of the same age group to vote for which political party rules for the country. The elderly will be less affected by long term outcomes. On the one hand it is not a true representation of democracy if you take away the elderly’s right to vote, however on the other hand it helps paint a better picture of what the country wants for the future, a future that most elderly will not be affected by.
Hello, fierce_swan. I agree with your statement. I would also like to add one more point. You were saying how it is less likely for elders to adopt opinions of their own, which is very true. I would like to add that they also may be more closed-minded because of one small thing they saw in the past. This would limit the country's capabilities and limit the country's chance to become better if the same people with the same ideas are getting voted for every election.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age mainly because people above 80 years old can still make good decisions and have great opinions in the society. Some people might say people who are old may think more outdated and can't understand the modern world as much as the younger generations. But I think elderly people actually have an upper hand in these kind of situations. An 80 year old person has a lot of real life experience and could possibly make the better choices than the more unexperienced young generations.
People who are older is commonly viewed as outdated and not aware of the modern world. But this is completely wrong. My grandpa is over 80 and he watches more news then my parents or any of my teachers. Since he is retired, he has more time to watch the different things happening in the government and in different parts of the world. Wouldn't that make my grandpa more reliable when making decisions about the government or a new president.
Thinking in reverse, does the younger generation in their 20s really watch the news and is interested in anything that is happening int he world? Is the younger generation really more reliable than the older people? This is a modern society and it also changed how people who have retired live. Access to social media, TV, News reports mean older people like my grandpa can recognize global issues as much as my parents can.
So in conclusion, I believe that countries should not have a maximum voting age,
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because being old does not stop you from thinking big. I come from a family who cares about politics especially my grandpa who is around 78 years old. He would watch dozens of videos he finds on the internet talking about issues, wars, and political issues, even from other countries. He would even send some articles in my family group chat and complaining 24/7. And in family dinners there will always have a conversation between my grandpa and my uncles debating about decisions the goverment has made. Personally, I believe that my grandpa can think greater than younger people like me or my uncles. Everytime I try to argue with him in a topic, his answer would change my whole perspective making me think in a way I never did. So, I think people like my grandpa, even older should have the right to still vote .
He sounds like a real inspiration!
I think that every country should have upper voting range,I'll give yall few reasons why:
1.) Old people often have problems with remembering and understanding information ,that can lead to them voting for something that can make our life harder.Also there is high possibility that because of their vote someone with bad intentions gets to be leader of country,and that leads to people moving out of country.
2.)Old generation grew up in different time then we are in right now. Political situation them and now are way different,the society is different too.Thats why their political vote often dont match today's problems of our society.
3.)Political decisions made today will mostly affect younger generations in the future. Older people have already lived most of their lives and will not experience the consequences of these decisions. I mean if old people vote for something bad they wont have to live for 20-30 years with bad law .
4.)Older generations often make decisions based on values and experiences from the past, which dont apply to today's situation in world.Younger people, who are part of modern society, better understand current issues such as technology, business, climate changes etc.
5.)Older people are much easier to manipulate.Firstly, because of them having bad remembering skill.Secondly,and more importantly,they are bad woth using technology.They often get lost,so I know they dont check all information that person offers them,simply because they dont know how to see if they are true. Meanwhile,Young people can easily check all informations.
Interesting point you made about older people having problems remembering. Does this apply to the entire elderly population, or just a small percentage? How could you ensure the needs of both older and younger generations are being met?
Hello!First of all thanks for replying to my comment.I think that memory problems dont affect all elderly people, just some of them. Some elderly people are active and have good memory, and this proves that old age affects all differently. As for the needs of both old and young to be satisfied, this can be achieved by giving the elderly better healthcare and giving the young people good education and more job opportunities.
The conclusion is that understanding between the two generations leads to the creation of a better society and better living conditions.☺️
Hello!First of all thanks for replying to my comment.I think that memory problems dont affect all elderly people, just some of them. Some elderly people are active and have good memory, and this proves that old age affects all differently. As for the needs of both old and young to be satisfied, this can be achieved by giving the elderly better healthcare and giving the young people good education and more job opportunities.
The conclusion is that understanding between the two generations leads to the creation of a better society and better living conditions.☺️
I think countries should not have an upper age limit for voting because getting older does not mean you stop voting.At the same time we have countries which let people under 16 years vote because they are more affected by future. I think that voting should be a right of everyone.
Also old peaple should vote if they are 80 years and above. Some people might disagree because they think when you become old you lack capability of thinking well.Old citizen still have the grace of old age wisdom.The main problem that leads peaple to believe that upper age is needed a risk of mental decline can affect a person thinking skills. Instead of setting an upper age limit,a better solution may be to focus on education. So election should remain fair.Also peaple might disagree with me because they argue that old age can lead to mental degradation.
I disagree with the notion because, I feel that voting is a life long democratic right, and age does not measure intelligence or decision making capabilities. Older people are often mentally alert, interested, and well informed, and their experience allows them
From my point of view, countries should not have a maximum age limit for voting, since I believe that the right to vote is fundamental. Older people are still part of the society, and many of them have experience that can help them make responsible decisions. In my opinion, setting an age limit could be discriminatory and unfair.
However, other people may believe that older individuals have ideas that could slow down the progress we have made over time. In addition, some people think that voting should represent current society.
In conclusion, I believe that everyone should have a say in how they want to live.
From my point of view, I think that there should not be a maximum voting age, and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, a person that is 80 years old has more knowledge that for example one of 20 years old and can know better the pros and the contras of voting or not voting that thing, this is because the person of 80 years old can know what can happen if you vote that thing. Secondly, is good to know that old people vote more the things that can increase their health besides of young people, who mostly vote things that they dont really know their goods and their bads and also dont know if the thing they vote is going to keep their word. My last reason is that if there is a democracy, everyone should have the right to vote whatever they wish, even old people should have it. And this are all my reasons why I think that more than 80 years old people also should vote.
I think that countries shouldn't have a maximum voting age because older people have more experience on the different presidents that got into office and they might have advice on who would be good to be voted for. On the other hand, others might disagree because when you get a certain age you start to forget thing. This claim is not a 100% true because "alzheimer.ca" does stat that most of us will have memory problems, but we will keep our knowledge. "alzheimer.ca" also states that only 5 to 8% of people over 60 will get dementia.
I think that countries should not have an upper age limit for voting because the older people are still the citizens of the country and have the full freedom and right to express their opinions. Older individual possess experience that can guide society in the right direction. For instance,in my neighborhood, everyone,including my grandparents,goes for a walk daily , read newspapers and then they will discuss about politics. This proves that old people must get a chance to decide the next leader. In my society, I have noticed elderly women,sitting around in chairs and discussing about the current affairs, This shows that they are very much interested In contributing to the welfare of the country. Recently, in our state, a star actor entered into politics and his young fan club supports him blindly, but the older people made their point clear because of their experience and knowledge that they have gained through decades of years.
On election days, I’ve seen old couples walking slowly to polling booths, refusing help,and saying, “Our vote is our duty.” Even with health issues, they never miss even a single election, which shows how seriously they value democracy. During power cuts or water shortages, it is often the elders who recall past government policies and compare them with present situations, helping younger people understand whether development is real or just promised. So, Age is just a number!
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a basic democratic right. Many older people are mentally capable and they have valuable life experience .This may help them make thoughtful decision.
Other might disagree because they feel voting should reflect current and future generations. Removing their right to vote could be seen as unfair decision. Also voting is a fundamental right which you have when you gain citizenship in a specific country. If countries have maximum voting age,old people could get depressed and they would be extremely sad.We must give old peaple their right to participate in elections. Removing votes because of age can bring discrimination.
I think there should be a maximum voting age, as older people do not reflect our future.
Older people are worse affected with diseases and senility, 20% of people over 80 affected by dementia. So they; a) cannot be trusted to vote and b) do not need the extra responsibility if they cannot take care of themselves. To cut straight to the point, older people aren’t going to be there in the future, which is the outcome of which leader we choose. The community should not be focused on their wants for the future, as it will not affect them. Also, at the current voting age of 18, people are contributing to society as an individual. Older people don’t work and contribute less, so therefore need less representation.
Others might say that older people have more wisdom and experience, but often that wisdom is outdated. They might argue that no one will protect older people's rights, but we could say the same for young children. Their parents are expected to protect them, as the elderly’s children should for them.
Therefore maximum voting ages are clearly a necessity, as people reach a point where they should not be voting. Why do you think this has not already become a reality?
I think countries should have a maximum voting age, as older people lose touch with current times and no longer change their views based on information provided to them.
Older people in the community often struggle to keep up. They might struggle with technology, as they didn't grow up around it. As they struggle with tech, they a) might believe misinformation b) not be able to access information, meaning they cannot make a choice reflecting their true intentions for the country.
In the same way as tech changes, the political world and the issues we face do too. Older people are very set in their ways, and struggle to adapt. Social views have also changed, such as treatment toward minority groups. Old people reflect the past, their choices and views outdated.
As I’ve said in another comment, they won’t be there for the future, so why should their views change it? The state of disrepair, war and true unkindness of the world is due to them and their influence, so why should we be letting them continue to influence us?
It is not their right to continue to ruin our world, and it is ours to do our best to fix it.
Others may argue of their importance in our community, but they no longer contribute economically, and tend to contribute to conflict, especially that of social and political virtues.
This is why I believe there should be a maximum voting age. The real question is, how has it not become a reality before now?
Yes Country should have a upper age limit for voting Because young people can not vote cause they are too young for involving themselves in election at least the head of state can decide to let people above eighteen to vote .Because under eighteen voter they are still young and they lack wisdom and knowledge. In my opinions i think that government should encourage young voters and educate them.Thanks
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age, because old people still are citizens with the fundamental right to vote. Furthermore, they have more experience gain over time and knowledge than young people. In addition, they may pass through many different governments and political situacions, so they have a deep historical perspective, which they probably use when they vote in elections.
On the other hand, others might disagree with my opinion, because old people may not understand and argue correctly modern issues as well as younger citizens do. Moreover, certain elderly people have mental issues, such as alzehimer or dementia, which could affect their ablity to make vote decisions and how they can understand different political issues. Also, many old citizens are influenced by their favorite TV show or their own family, like people of all ages. Additionally, many of them often votes the same political party for many years, without updating recient information on different sources to provide themselves with reliable information and vote the party that fit them the best.
In conclusion, I think everyone over a minimum age should have the right to vote in their country. Although maximum age limits may have some reasons, a person who can apport experience should have the opportunity to decide who to vote for. In this way everyone without depending on the age can shape society without inequalities.
Imagine if you're playing a long game of Monopoly with your friends, but someone who is about to leave the house gets to make all the big rules for the rest of the game. That’s kind of what it's like when really old people vote on things like the environment or how schools are run, because they won't be around to see what happens in fifty years. We're the ones who have to live in the future, so it feels like the people voting should be the ones who actually have to deal with the consequences. Plus, the world is changing so fast with new technology that some older people might find it hard to keep up, so maybe the decisions should be left to the people who really understand how things work today.
But then again, it would be super unfair to just tell someone they can’t have a say just because they’ve had a lot of birthdays. That’s basically bullying people for being old! My grandad knows way more about history and how the world works than I do, and his opinion should still matter because he's a citizen too. If we stopped old people from voting, the government might just stop caring about them and stop spending money on things they need, like hospitals or medicines. Everyone deserves a voice no matter how old they are, and taking that away feels like it goes against the whole point of being a fair country. You wouldn't want someone to tell you that you're 'too young' to have an opinion, so we shouldn't do the same to them for being old.
I think that countries should have a maximum voting age. People may argue that it is unfair to expect stereotypes to be reality, but this is a real thing that is happening. I understand that not all the elderly are the same, which is very true, but I think that it gets to a point. According to the National Institute of Aging, around 40% of the elderly have shown signs of brain damage. This is because of the day-to-day things that happen without us even knowing. Also, many elderly people do not have people to take care of them, so if they have dementia or other serious conditions, they may not be diagnosed or even know that they have it. This could impact the outcome of these votes significantly. Also, they could have insufficient resources to stay knowledgeable about what these parties are going to do if voted for; therefore, these people may not actually be voting for what they believe in, but only what they have seen in the past. Personally, my grandparents are very close-minded and are not open to new ideas that could potentially make our world flourish.
In conclusion, I believe that the maximum voting age should be around 85-90 because the average age to live to is around 82-85. If you live to 90, you may have some difficulties with your day-to-day thinking and problem-solving.
Fellow writers, esteemed writers.
I think that voting age should be capped, but not specifically at eighty for a number of reasons, for reasons such as mental decline.
In the status quo, lowest voting age differs based on countries, and this age is often defined by intelligence scores and other factors such as population and time. I believe that voting age cap should also be determined by individual intelligence scores.
For example if an individual intelligence exam were to be proposed, elderly (65+ years old) should have to take a mandatory test yearly to prove that they have acceptable cognitive abilities and the ability to vote without any issues affecting their choices.
Others may disagree with me as they believe that older people still have opinions and relevance in voting because they are still humans, but this ideology is flawed, as many studies have proved mental decline at an older age. I think that people would favor a cognitive test more, as it allows older people with fully intact cognitive abilities the ability to vote without fully removing the ability to vote for all old people.
In conclusion, I believe that elderly people should prove their intelligence before they can vote so that their votes are unchanged by mental decline.
Yes, I believe every country should have a maximum voting age. I say this because as you get up there in years ( 80+) your mind starts to deteritate and you start to have a decline in your mental welfare and might not be able to make as good political decisions as you used to be able to. Older people often are more gullible to believe thing that aren't true Vs a younger mind. In America 80+ year olds lost 745 million dollars in scams. If they believe those then who knows what they will believe when they see political false adds all over social media or on websites. In conclusion their you should be able to vote between ages 18-80 before and after that age the average cognitive ability is not good enough to make their own political decisions independently
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because everyone deserves to give an opinion. Everyone has a different opinion and getting older doesn’t mean stops understanding society even though some older people might has an old opinion or not as good as the young people but their opinion still matter and need consideration. I think age shouldn’t stop people for giving opinion because every people age. I know some people think younger people gives a better opinion because they’re capable to think of an extraordinary opinion with all the things younger people know now but older people also have experience a lot of things to think of something good because wisdom and knowledge are also gained by decades. I think age doesn’t matter if you’re still capable to think of what’s good for society.
I believe that countries should not have a maximum voting age because even though these citizens may be 80, 90, or even 100 years of age, is does not take back that these are citizens first then their age. A country should have pride in giving all of their citizens the right to vote. People may argue that this extreme of old age would make you incapable or less capable of making well thought decisions, but to this I argue, if this was the truth then why are so many world leaders old? With my president (U.S) being the age of 79, this can even apply to Vatican City itself where Pope Francis was elected as pope at the age of 76. So I ask, why is it fair to be okay with voting for someone to run the country that is close to if not 80, but not okay for someone who is 80 to vote for who they believe would do the best for them. I believe everyone has a voice and should be able to speak through that voice, no matter what age you are, you should be able to have a say to something that will affect you.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age. Older people are still affected by the government and their choices, and they still care and understand about their country. I believe older people also have more knowledge and experience in certain fields, and will be able to vote more wisely.
However, some older people might be old fashioned and stereotypical, and this can affect their vote. Since they do not know much of the current society and modern takes, they have different opinions than younger voters. Most older people also tend to get sick easily or cannot tend to themselves without assistance, and it must be hard to vote in those conditions. I think that people older than 80 should be allowed a vote, but it should not be necessary for them.
Similar to Vatican City and its policies, I think there should be a point at which voters are limited by a maximum voting age.
Elected officials are not only responsible for interacting with other levels of government within a nation, but also for maintaining beneficial relationships with other nations. One of the debates where officials should focus on its impact on society is the environment and how to preserve its natural resources, the very same ones humans are dependent on. The United Nations recently published an article on the 'era of 'global water bankruptcy'', stressing the severity of our world's current water crisis. Although it may seem grim to have this perspective, older voters will be less impacted by the environment's changes, for it's the youth that will truly suffer in the near future. It'll be our generation that suffers from the negligence of current governance and the lack of awareness.
However, others might disagree because older voters have more experience across multiple officials and their terms. I do agree that they are most likely more understanding about life situations and civics in general; however, for many older individuals, mental capacity decline correlates with aging. Although forms of it may not be part of a doctor's diagnosis, there is a significant slowing of processing that can impact individuals older than 60.
For these reasons, even if the voting age isn't lowered, many nations should consider setting a limit on the maximum age.
Democracy isn’t just about having a voice right now. Political decisions doesn't end when an election ends. Climate change, debt, housing and much more stuff stick around for decades to come. Younger people are the ones who are going to live with that for their lives. Some voters wouldn't even be alive to see whether those choices actually worked or not.
This ain't about saying older people are dumb or don’t matter. That’s not what I’m arguing/going against. A lot of older people are informed and involved. The problem is responsibility. Voting is the power. It decides where a country goes. When people who probably won’t experience the long term results of their choices have the same voting power as people who will live with those results for the next 50 or 60 years, something feels wrong.
Age already matters in voting. Society agrees mutually that age affects responsibility. So it’s really weird that age only matters when it comes to young people, but suddenly doesn’t matter at all when it comes to older voters.
Right now, elderly voters make up a gigantic part of elections. Because of that, policies often focus on short term comfort instead of long term fixes. Younger people are left dealing with climate problems, debt, and fewer opportunities. They’re the ones who’ll actually deal with the consequences. I advocate for this as I, myself, am in this generation. If this democracy is supposed to be fair, then I think that the people who are actually going to live in the future should have much more say in shaping it. I’m open to anyone adding on to this discussion.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because turn to old doesn't mean that the old people they can't make decision clearly, it's unfair to the people who is getting older but knowledgable and want to take a part in. Old people has more life experiences than young people, they also have more vote experiences of their generation, they can provide wide-perspective votes. Also 80 years old people are still citizens of their own country, which means they still have privilege to vote, there are no different between young people's votes and old people's votes, they should have the same privilege to vote and take a part in government decisions.
Im against it ,voting is a right that everyone should have. The age of a person does not equal their ability to make decisions. They know what they are doing. They should be able to vote because they have the right to have a say in what happens. Older people are just as capable, as people when it comes to voting and making informed decisions. The voting right is a right and age should not be a factor. Many older people are fully informed about the issues. They should be able to vote. And have a influence in elections.
We also me and . I think we should be able to be vote in the voting procces even tho some of everyone is old . But we like how they let us be voting when we are of age to vote in elections. It gives everyone the chance to make our vote noticed. Even when i am old we have a right to vote . Tru the work in festivalo i learn to be more open in decisions.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because the older a person gets, the wiser he or she become. Like Oscar Wilde once said, "with age comes wisdom".
An 80 year old shouldn't be denied his/her right to vote because he or she has stayed longer in the society and has seen many leaders come and go, observed their mistakes and might have solutions or ideas on how leaders should lead the society.
However, others might disagree because with age also comes sicknesses like dementia which might not let the person reason well which can lead to making the wrong choice of leaders.
What are your thoughts on how illness in older people might be managed in reference to voting rights?
My take is that countries should not have an upper age limit for voting because age does not mean incompetence. An old person can be sharper than people way younger than them. Like a Nigerian adage that says "what an old man sees sitting down, a young man cannot see even if he climbs an iroko tree." Mostly, elders are more informed and they have more perspectives and foresight because they have seen and passed through different leaders. Also, voting is a right not a skill test. Our rights should not reduce because we get older. Older people are affected by policies and leaders too so it would not be fair if they donot have a say. We should be more worried about capacity not age. Democracy would be better with more voices not less.
I believe that its good idea to have a maximum age to vote implemented in your country.
One thing I learned in biology class the other day is that enzymes have a optimum temperature where they work at maximum temp but as soon as they hit their peak they denature basically meaning they fell off. This seriously relates to humans because at a certain age you will be your strongest but as soon as you fall off your health stops dropping, your immune system goes bust, your mental health can change. So implementing a under 80 year old policy would actually be great. We also have to remember that times change and what was once super important, relevant, and good ideas just aren't seen like that in modern day. Some old people can't grasp the concept of AI while newer younger people could notice a AI video from the other in about a second.
Interesting comment - but how does this align with world leaders being over 80 and those of a similar age not being allowed to vote?
I personally disagree to this post because I believe that no one should be denied their democratic rights especially voting, due to their age. I personally believe that old people bring decades of knowledge and and also wealth of experience which strengthens the democracy. However some may argue the fact that old people may be out of touch in current technologies, modern issues and also unduly influence policies in favour of their generation. Despite these concerns, I believe that the advantages of older people voting is more arguably better.
The act of voting is not just about individual preferences but also to keep a healthy democracy. Their consistent participation helps ensure that elections reflect all generations promoting fairness and accountability in governance. Policies that benefit things like pension and health care also indirectly affects the society at large leading to social stability. In conclusion, rather that seeing old people as a problems, societies should encourage civic engagement and education across all age groups for a healthy and sustained democracy.
Thank you!!!!
I believe countries should not have a maximum voting age because every citizen deserves an equal voice in a democratic society, regardless of their age. Voting is a fundamental right, and taking that right away simply because someone has reached a certain age would be unfair and discriminatory. Older people often have a lifetime of experience, knowledge, and understanding of political systems that can help them make thoughtful decisions. They have witnessed historical changes, economic shifts, and social developments that younger generations may only learn about in books. Their perspectives can add depth and balance to the decision-making process in a country.
In addition, many elderly citizens remain mentally sharp, active, and involved in the communities getting a maximum voting age would imply that all older individuals are incapable of thinking clearly, which is not always the case. People age differently , and it would be wrong to generalize their abilities based only on their number of years. Removing their voting rights could also make them feel excluded from society, even though they are still affected by goverment policies, healthcare systems, taxes, and social programs.
However, others might disagree because they believe that very old voters may face health problems or cognitive decline that could affect theit decision making ability. Ther may argue that younger generations will live longer with consequences of political decisions, so they should have a greater influence on elections
Hello observent_cherry, I agree with you that many older people do have lifetime experiences, and knowledge which can be beneficial in some ways, for example knowing what has happened in past historical events, which could help make wise voting decisions. However, having this knowledge can also lead to having outdated thoughts, as well as stubborn tendencies, making the older generation highly resistant to change. Also, according to PubMed, unfortunately there is a greater tendency of cognitive decline amongst the elderly, which would impact their ability to process information and make rational, informed decisions during voting. Lastly, seniors are known to be gullible as proven through being scammed quite easily, meaning that seniors may make crucial voting decisions based on false information that they hear in the news & tv.
Hy, I am enchanted camel.
I think countries should have a maxmimum voting age, because in my opinion most of the people who are more than 80 are not really involved in politics. Obviously, there are some exceptions, as there is not a restricted age for being interested on politics,but I think we could all agree that probably a younger person is looking more forward to the future rather than a person who is not that young. From my perspective, to be restricted to vote should be an obligation both for a minimum and a maximum age.
However, it is true that many people might disagree because it's not fair to be restricted as getting older does not mean to stop caring about politics, society or even about the future of the next generations.
Probably, old people will think that my comment is not true, but from my perspective it should be like that.
I think that countries should have an upper age limit because old peaple have their own identity card for the country. Some may say that this would sound rude or sound impolite,but i think we need to be able to approach this topic.
Something that we need to be more considerate is what can be responsible for the whole country. We also have the reasons of why we have maximum voting age. 1.We believe that their brain is not fully yet to be able to make important decisions like election. I would like to tell you that logic can be applied to the ideas of maximum age as well.
Some older peaple do not know how to work technology and someone might be a really bad idea but they wouldn't know because they don't know how to work on it.In my opinion i think older people should be given a chance to vote.
I think that countries should think about having an upper age limit, but there could be something more important than the elderly age group. I think that the government, if we are gonna have an age limit, should check in with seniors to do this, because I don't feel it's fair to take it away without informing them with research behind it. I know for me, my grandparents really enjoy talking politics, and they would be extremely upset if that was taken away from them. There should also be mental health checks for people voting, since it could be bad if people who aren't in the best place in their minds start voting.
On one of the earlier posts, I claimed that underage voters don't get influenced more than other age groups, and I'm sticking with that thought. I think that this is the same with older age groups.
So to conclude, I believe that older ages should not have their votes taken away unless there is significant information to prove that they should. Thank you, ineffable_groundhog
Hi everyone, I'm smart_snow from Vancouver, BC i hope all of you are having a great day. I think countries should not have a a uper age limit for voting because getting older does not mean that someone stops caring for their society or country. My grandparents are over 80, and every day I see them watching the news and reading every new article, and i cant help but get a call from them talking about their thoughts on the new political changes. This shows that people never stop caring and should still get a say in what is gonna happen in their hometown that they have been in longer than everyone voting.
Many countries are thinking of letting 16-year-olds vote. I think that if these young people have a say in who their leaders who can be that elderly people should also have a say. Many of these young kids can easily be swayed by the world around them and social media, and letting them vote and not the elderly is unfair. Even though people who are over 80 may not be the best with technology, they still know how to care for their country and make the right choice for themselves.
Many people voice that the elderly may think of the old issues instead of the new ones while voting. this doesnt just happen for the old but also with the young. The young kids are being fed misinformation, which can lead to being swayed the way you don't want to. This shows that the problem is the information being sent out and not the age of the people receiving it.
for these reasons i belive voting is a lifelong right past the legal age and should not be taken away
I think countries should not have an upper age limit for voting because getting older does not mean you stop voting. I have a neighbour who is older and watches news and talks about election. Also when there are problems he still complains when things are unfair. It shows older people are affected by government. In elections,must be well informed because wrong decision may bring disaster.
Young people have fresh minds and are not mentally stressed with the society. We have things that can affect a person who votes,examples;intrest-There are peaple who are not intrested in voting,knowledge and mental health. All old citizen have the grace of old age wisdom and some of them know what good is good for the country.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because of younger peoples personal thoughts. However, others might disagree because more votes could mean more controversy between the two electants, and who might vote them..
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because no matter someones age they still have valid ideas and opinions that they have the wright to share.on the other hand as you grow older your opinions may stay the same as they did when you were 20 and if they continue with that mindset we will stay in the past instead of moving on with new and original ideas .Secondly people that are older may not be open to new ideas - I don't want I to sound like all older people are like this this is just my opinion .
I think countries should not put a maximum voting age because get older does not means that you dont have the right to vote. In my opinion this type of things should be voluntary, i mean that each person decide if he want to vote or not (like in my country), Of course this must be from an age like 16-18.
However, others might disagree because they think that people with specific age does not understand about the things that are happen in the world and for that reason they put the maximum voting age.
I believe there should not be a maximum age for voting. Older people have a lot of life experience and can provide a very useful perspective for society. In addition, they are an important part of society, and their opinions deserve to be represented.
In my case, I have learned a lot about the importance of voting through conversations with my grandparents, who have taught me aspects of society that we need to change in order to avoid returning to a worse past. It would be unfair to associate age with an inability to vote. I think everyone should have the right to vote and have their opinions valued.
On the other hand, I understand that some people may associate age with older ideas that could slow societal progress, or with attention or memory problems that might limit the ability to vote. However, I believe that neither of these circumstances necessarily applies to older people.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because voting should reflect the realities and future of the society it shapes. An older age limit helps ensure that the people deciding laws, leaders, and long-term policies are those who will live with the consequences for many years. The Vatican, for example, limits voting in papal elections to cardinals under 80, not to disrespect older leaders, but to ensure voters are actively involved in current church life and able to manage demanding decisions.
In the same way, national elections shape issues like climate policy, education, and national debt, which will mainly affect younger and working-age generations. This links directly to the debate about allowing teenagers to vote, as these decisions will shape their futures the most. Very old age can sometimes come with reduced engagement in modern society, and some older voters may hold fixed views that make adapting to rapid political, technological, and social change more difficult. Younger people often stay more informed because these changes will impact them long-term.
Many countries already accept age limits in high-stakes roles such as pilots, judges, and company directors because decision-making quality matters. Voting determines a country’s direction, so similar thinking is reasonable. Critics argue that voting is a fundamental democratic right and that older citizens bring wisdom and experience. While its true, I believe a high, carefully reviewed maximum voting age could balance respect for elders with fair representation of present-day society and its future.
I think it could be wise for countries to have a maximum voting age, as some older people can remain heavily attached to outdated and extremely problematic ideas, which may have been widely accepted when they were growing up, but we can now recognise for the extreme issues they are. For example, several years ago I was talking to an elderly man about the 1994 elections - my country's first democratic elections, and I found that he still held on to an extremely white supremacist mindset - one which, when given a vote, has the potential to put a racist party back into power. This is not to say ALL elderly white people in my country think this way - they do not. However, biases and prejudice still exist, and it is these and the voters that hold them that could prove it a good idea to have a maximum voting age.
In addition, a study by Alzheimer's Disease International showed that in 2020, over 55 million people were living with dementia - a cognitive functioning loss which most commonly affects older people, therefore highlighting that many older votes could prove not mentally well enough to cast an informed vote.
Thirdly, while younger voters can, very commonly, be deceived by social media, they are not the only ones, and they do have a greater understanding of it, having grown up with it, than older generations. Ergo, the elderly may be more easily tricked by, for example, deepfakes, lacking the digital literacy skills of those younger than them.
However, it could be argued that with more worldly experience, older voters are wiser and more equipped to make informed votes.
Honestly, seeing that the Vatican has an age limit is such a trip, and it really makes you wonder if they're onto something that the rest of the world is missing! Like, on hand, you could totally argue it's a smart move because most of these huge political decisions-especially stuff like climate change, debt, and new tech-are mostly going to affect the people who are actually going to be around for the next 50 years. If we already have a minimum age because we say kids aren't 'ready' yet, it's not that crazy to think about a maximum age so that the people making the rules actually have some skin in the game for the long run. But then again, you've got to think about the flip side-is it even fair to just delete someone's right to vote just because they've had a certain amount of birthdays? That feels like a total slippery slope, and since experience is a pretty big deal, democracy should probably stay 'for life' so we don't end up silencing people who've still got a lot of wisdom to share. At the end of the day, maybe we don't need a hard cutoff like the Pope has, but we definitely have to fix the balance so that younger voices aren't constantly getting drowned out by a generation that's basically voting on a future they won't even have to live through. If we're the ones who have to live with the long-term consequences of these votes, shouldn't the system be designed to prioritize the people who actually have a future to lose?
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a fundamental democratic right that should apply equally to all adults, without taking into account their age. Many old people are informed, experienced and highly involved in society, so their opinions still matter in political decisions, such as healthcare, economy, and the well-being of their families and communities. In addition, I think that protecting equal rights for everyone is more important than introducing age limits.
However, others might disagree because they think that older people may not experience the long-term political decisions as much as younger people will, or that some health and cognitive problems could make it harder for some of them.
I believe this dilemma works in many ways-the two main reasons-yes and no-both have an equal point and a fair response from both sides of the topic.
The first option I want to talk about is about the benefits that would make the voting system better if people over 80 vote.I personally believe that making people over 80 vote could help the process by giving people a chance to hear from elderly voters perspectives and preferences.It could also make a difference to society. Who knows?Maybe they could change the world by doing actions in tiny ways but with huge voices and words that speak for themselves.Some people a long way past 80 and they still have an opinion and I do not think that by leaving them out of votes and debates,we also are discriminating their point of views on things they find valuable in life and important.
Moving to the other side of the argument,I can also understand why this is a problem towards discussions.It is relatable to know that the more older you get,the more your brain starts to work differently to what it used to when you were younger.This can mean less energy towards thinking, lack of motivation to make your brain work and less effort towards making your body work more productively.Another reason to why it should not be aloud is that old people may not understand or have a good idea of what modern technology looks like and they could get confused. Some people who don’t even know how to enter their own phone without asking for help - imagine typing in a vote or response.
Over all, I believe that both sides of the argument are equally important.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because age does not mean someone stops understanding what is happening around them. There are still a lot of elderly people who care about their country, watch the news, and discuss politics. Since some of them have experienced significant events firsthand, their opinions are grounded in fact rather than theory. I can see why some people believe there ought to be a maximum age. They think that older voters might not be as impacted by long-term choices as younger voters. That makes sense, particularly given that election outcomes will result in younger people living longer. However, I don't believe that a person's age is a valid justification for denying them the ability to vote. Countries should consider voters' awareness and knowledge more than their age. In my opinion, voting should be a right for life.
I honestly think there should be no upper age limit for voting. Just because someone is 80, 90, or even older, it doesn’t mean they lose the right or the ability to make informed decisions. Many older people have lived through so much—they’ve experienced history, seen what worked and what didn’t, and learned lessons that younger generations haven’t had the chance to. Their perspective can actually be really valuable in making thoughtful choices for society. Of course, age can sometimes affect energy or adaptability, but it doesn’t define wisdom or awareness. Taking away the vote from someone just because of their age would be unfair and would ignore all the experience and knowledge they bring. Everyone who thinks critically and responsibly should have a say, no matter how old they are. Honestly, I’d say this deserves a really high rating—probably around 95%—because it’s thoughtful, clear, and respectful of different perspectives.
Thanks for reading!
I’ve talked about this before, but it’s worth saying again because it’s so important. What really makes this issue uncomfortable is that voting power stays fixed all the time, however, the time people who will actually live under those decisions does not. A 20 year old and an 80 year old technically have the same political influence, even though one will most likely live with the results for decades longer. That gap is rarely acknowledged in this discussion, but it matters a lot when decisions shape the long-term future of a country.
We often talk a lot about democracy as equal voices in this chat, but we rarely discuss about equal consequences. Policies on climate change, debt, housing, education, and much more do not affect all age groups the same way. Younger people will deal with the outcomes for most of their lives, while others may never experience the results at all.
I want to restate that this is not about erasing older generations or disregarding their experience. But voting power is not the same as having a voice. When people who will not even live long enough to face the full impact hold the same control as those who will, democracy becomes more about short term comfort than long term responsibility.
One realistic possible way forward is to re-adjust how political influence is distributed at particular ages. An upper voting age, or alternative ways for older citizens to participate without directly deciding the future, could help and rebalance influence without silencing anyone. I’m open to anyone who wants to add to this discussion.
People always talk about how important it is for there to be a legal age to vote.That is definitely true,and I strongly agree that there should be a legal voting age,but what many people don't really talk or think about is how there should also be a maximum voting age.I firmly stand by the assertion that there should be a maximum voting age and I believe that this age should be 70.Firstly, according to Sagepubjournals.com,elderly people are three times more likely to vote than people under 30.This means that by having a maximum age,we are encouraging younger citizens to vote,as younger citizens often tend to not participate in these voting procedures.Next, the reason why I believe that the voting age should be capped at the age of 70and not older or younger is because at age65 you are officially a senior(at least here in Canada where I'm from), and I am convinced that it wouldn't be fair to punish people just because they are seniors also meaning that it wouldn't be a fair democracy.So70is a perfect age because that way we are still allowing seniors to vote,but as elderly people tend to be set in their ways they tend to be less open minded,which could affect the younger generation as times are always changing.Furthermore, according to BBC,seniors tend to vote conservative as they are more likely to be at the top of their earnings,showing how these citizens tend to favour traditional Conservative policies such as lowering taxes,which will directly impact lower-income households.In conclusion,based on all of the examples listed above,it is crucial to add a maximum voting age!
I believe countries should not introduce an upper age limit for voting. Voting is a fundamental democratic right, not a privilege that expires with age. Citizenship does not disappear after a certain birthday, so the right to influence society should not disappear either.
Supporters of an age limit argue that very elderly voters may be out of touch with modern issues or may not live to see the long-term effects of political decisions. They say elections should mainly represent the younger, more active population. In Vatican City, for example, cardinals over 80 cannot vote for a new pope because the role requires high responsibility and awareness.
However, applying this rule to national elections would be unfair and discriminatory. Many people over 80 are mentally sharp, politically aware and highly experienced. In fact, they often have greater wisdom and historical understanding than younger voters. Age alone does not determine someone’s ability to make rational decisions.
Introducing an age limit would also create a dangerous precedent. It would suggest that some citizens are less valuable than others, which goes against the principle of equality in democracy. Instead of removing voting rights, governments should ensure that all voters, young and old, have access to clear information and support if needed.
In conclusion, while the Vatican’s system suits its unique religious context, national democracies should not copy this idea. Every adult deserves a voice in the future of their country, no matter how old they are.
Hello mirthful_cloudberry,
I honestly agree with you but also a little bit disagree, because I think the situation is more in the middle. I agree that voting is a right and it shouldn’t just disappear when someone turns a certain age. Being old doesn’t suddenly make someone invisible or unimportant in society.
However, I also think some people might worry about very elderly voters because not everyone can keep up with the news anymore. For example, some older people might only watch one TV channel or believe everything they see on WhatsApp without checking if it’s true. That could affect how they vote, especially when fake news spreads so fast. But then again, this doesn’t only happen to old people; even young people can fall for fake news on TikTok or Instagram.
This makes me think the real problem isn’t age, but information. If someone is 20 or 90 and they don’t get clear and fair news, their vote could be influenced in the wrong way. So putting a maximum age wouldn’t really fix the issue. It would just block people who might still understand politics very well.
So I agree with you that an upper age limit would be unfair, but I understand why some people suggest it. Instead of removing votes, governments should help everyone understand the news better, like using simple explanations or trusted sources. That way, democracy stays fair without pushing anyone out.
I don't think that there should be a maximum voting age. Even though a lot of people might say that older voters might not be actively involved in politics anymore a lot of the time they're the most engaged. Having seen many politicians go in and out of power and how their country has changed over the years they have the most knowledge of how how a leader in power can change their country for the better or for the worst.
I also think that it's very unfair to them. Considering that fact that they have been voting for that long we shouldn’t take away that right from them just because they’re old.
Some might argue that kids don’t get the right to vote, so that’s also taking away their rights, but that is drastically different.children don’t have real life responsibilities besides being a child and student they don’t taxes to pay or a job. Immaturity is also a big problem with children so it wouldn’t make sense for them to have an impact on their country.
Voting is a right but you need to earn that right. In my opinion there should be a certain age to start voting but there shouldn’t be an age where should stop.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because there is old people around 90 years old or even onwards that are completely able to vote, both phisical and mentaly. It is also true that there is also old people that has helth problems that might affect their capacities. I think old people could vote except if they hace serious mental problems that might become an issue for them to vote. This mental illness such us dementia, alzeimer and PTSD, are normaly asociate to old people because they are usualy found in them, but they are not the only ones who can suffer it. I think people with mental disorders thethad bean diagnosed shouldn´t be able to vote, but not because old people are more prone to having it should be remuved their right to vote.
You make a good argument, spectacular_trumpet. There's another really tricky angle on the question, not just about whether older people have the mental capacity to vote. It's whether the things that older people would be in favour of and vote for might be in conflict with what is good for younger people, who will be around a lot longer to deal with the consequences. What do you think?
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because many old people have alzheimer or other head problems that affect its form of thinking or seeing things, also old people have other mentallity because they life in other times and many things have changed. They can also believe some fake news because they thought are true or they can be influence because of other people very easily. However, others might disagree because not all old people have head problems, they do not believe notices from interned or things that people said in the stret to influence them. I thing for prevent this type of problems is better to put a maximum age of voting even if some of the people that have more age dont have any problem to vote. For example, I will put the maximum age around 75 or 80.
Hi folks! In my opinion, countries should not establish an upper age limit for voting. Some people may think that older people suffer mental decline, which could affect their voting decisions.
However being old doesn´t mean that a person is unable to think clearly or understand political issues.
Older people have experienced almost everything in life, going through easier and more difficult situations and have learned valuable lessons from these experiences. This often makes them wiser and more thoughtful when making decitions.
Old people are more intelligent and capable than people think, so I believe everyone should be free to participate in democratic decisions.
Thanks for reading!
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because been older doesn´t mean you stop having a personal opinion. However, others might disagree because they think that old people are disorientated in this kind of stuff.
From my point of view, I think older people are even more prepared to vote in elections than adults or young people, because they have experiences that maybe none of the people voting nowadays have pass through. They could also have more criteria than others because they have been voting for many years and, during all their lives they have been voting and having an opinion, so, why now thay can´t have a valid opinion?
It´s true some old people are not capable to vote because of problems they may have, like not remembering things, but it will be unfair for other old people that still have the capacity to vote logically.
I disagree because... if older people because if older people begins to vote we will have a less or high voting rate and a lot of wrong choices will be made this is because
old people are known to be weak and be wise enough to the extent of knowing the value of life from the age of 80 this means that if threatened they can easily give up
I also discovered frome my search that as people grow their body cell grow weak not excluding the brain this means they are not in a complete set of mind to grow through experience that they have already gone through before
therefore I think we should leave it at the age rate of 80
I think 80 year old can help vote because in there past life they done more
voteing elections and because they done it before they will knon what
to chose and to do witch means younger people can do it as well also there more up
to date and they know what is happening because people on youtube,tiktok and facebook
that's why younge people are up to date.
I think countries should let the max voting age to 16 beacuse they are fully capeble and i belive that evreone should have a say as that is one of our schools motto's and i am also a catholic so all of us belive that evrone shold have a say so i'd like to share somthing i learnt.
You are Awsome
You are capeble
You are beautiful!!!!
I think countries should not have a maixmum age for voting, because some older people have the same or even more understanding about politics than others. They have lived through the ruling of a lot of different leaders and know what they prefer and how they want their country to be organised. They also may know what benefits them and what benefits the people in their surroundings.
I also believe that if an older person does not feel prepared or convinced enough to vote they could ask for help or know that they should not vote for the better of their country from then onwards. But also older people often have older ideas or ways of thinking, the world has changed a lot since they were young and able to vote for the first time, and the way people think and how a country should be ruled has also changed. Older people could think a person would be a good leader but they don't realise that they are thinking of what may have been good in previous times.
In general I think older people should be able to vote no matter their age because they could be very experienced and even help younger people decide who to vote for, but other elder people do not realise they are deciding for a good leader for the present world.
I think countries should definitely have a maximum voting age. Older people commonly stick to traditions and beliefs from their time. This hinders the new generations because they cannot outweigh the votes from the past. Sure, there are old people that do understand the present and how society changes, but there are also a majority that don't. This is something that happens a lot in Spain, especially where I live. We have low natality rates, so a big part of our population is old people, and because of that in my province it's always the same parties that come out on top. However, others may disagree because they still have a right to choose how their country is led and I completely understand that. But, at least here, we would benefit from adding an age limit.
Im my opinion, there shouldn´t be a maximun age for voting. The opinion of old people is very important for our society. They have more years of experience in life and listening to them is a privelege. Their contribution in vote help us to keep our feet on the ground. I would say that the right to vote must be present in every human in this world who has awarness of what he or she is doing, which would exclude minors or anyone with an illness that quits them from having reasonable thought. In this second case, the vote would be managed by a conscious external person. This could be considered coercion and manipulation of the vote. As a conclusion, no, there shouldn´t be any top age for voting while you are aware about your decisions.
I think countries should not have a maxium voting age, in fact, I will said is better than old people with more than eighty years old vote, because old people have more experience and know more thing about parties and govern than a person with eighteen years old,that get the information from their faily and friends and some times from social media which most of the information it gives is not true.
However, others might disagree because it is true most of the people with more than eighty years old start loosing their memories.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because also old people must have the right to vote.Older people have more experience than young so even they can influence people around them.Also they must have voice and express what they wan't for the socienty or even for themselves.Vote is not only a paper but it is also a responsability and anithing you wan't to choice.For my opinion I think that if some countries refuse to let older people vote, they would be taking appart one of their right's.
However,others migh disagree because old people is based on situations that they had experienced many years ago,specially in its childhood but in the present think migh have change(even that in some countries no).
I think countries should not have an upper age limit of voting because,geting older does not mean to stop understanding,it means that you need more time to perform the acttions that you made before. My grandparents every day watch the news to learn how it is going arround the world,and always they talk with me and we express our points of view,and even my grandparents have dificulties they listen and understunds you, every time there are elecctions they go and vote and they search with me their ideas and there are the same as a normal people could have.Also at the library there are a lot of old people who go and read the newspaper, magazines... which means that old people try to learn even things have changed during time.
However, others might disagree becauese there are old people which does not change their point of view and are so closeminded but as them there are also young people,but I can understund them because sometimes is frustrating that someone does not try to learn and change their mentality, even this my oppinion is that everyone has the right to vote in order to have a better life during their pass on world.
I think countries should not have a maximun voting age because, in my opinion, when people gets older their brains will function as equal as when they where younger in some of the cases. I think this also due to the old people sometimes are more interested in politics and in some of the actual themes than young people are, this will be helpful for our society, older people also like to read the news everyday, they see more news in television, and they have more time to debate with other people and to show young people the most recent news everyday. Old people have also lived during more time, so they would have more experience to decided who to vote to. Sometimes young people have a bad deciding on the party they might choose due to their lack of experiences, the lack of news because they don`t hear them, the jokes with their friends and the influence of social media on the voting. All these things dosen`t affect older people due to their age, where mostly they want the best for their countries and comunnities. On the other hand, they might be people who disagree with my opinion because they think that old people may not understand some o the actual themes. Also they might think this because some studies showed that older people lose their thinking agility, as their brains can become atrophed and some of the cortex, especially the frontal one, wouldn't work correctly
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because why isn´t an old person going to have the same rights for voting as a young person ? I think old people have the same rights for expressing and voting than young people, they also want to take part in the things that are happenig in their country, they are also living in the same place as young voters, they should also have the right to say what they want and think how they want. I know that maybe in some places such as the Vatican City, they think that as they are older, their thoughts are less open-minded but that doesn´t mean that all old people are closed-minded and that not all them adapt to the new changes society has. I really believe that it doesn´t matter how old are you , or from where are you, or whatever sexuality you´re comfortable with. We should all have the right to vote and the opportunity to choose.
There needs to be a minimum, but not a maximum age for voting. Why couldn't a 70 year-old person vote? Each one of us has this right regardless of our age. I also think one person can change their political opinions as time goes by, and it's true that some older people are not in the best mental state to vote, but that doesn't mean others can't do it.
Why do you think that people can change their political opinions as time goes on?
I believe this is because as life moves on your environment changes and so do the people in it. With new people comes new political views. I also believe this to be true because it is proven that the people that are close to you and around you affect you beliefs therefore proving that ones' opinions ,in this case political ones, can be changed. I would also like to state that a political opinion is processed in your brain no different to any other opinion, therefore should not be perceived or treated any differently. Peoples political opinions can change its just a matter of who's in there life at the time of the opinion.
I think that countries should not have a maximum voting age because old people still have the right to vote. After all, every person in their country have their right to vote. Also, old people tend to be wiser and have more experience than younger people, which could help greatly in voting. Some people might argue that old people are do not follow politics these days and fall behind on technology, but I disagree. My grandpa, though already over 80, still follow politics and are very interested in technology. His routine these days are watching the news, watering plants, then trying new technology on his phone. However, I agree that people who does not have clear minds and are suffering with memory loss should not vote. They would not know the current politics, and just vote to their liking. Though, I would argue that not all old people have amnesia or are not in their right minds. After all, I've seen countless old people that are still interested in politics and are well-versed in technology. So, in my opinion, I believe that voting is your right for life; young or old, they all can make this world a better place.
No I disagree that there should be an upper age limit because voting should be a whole life opportunity when you are above 16. Even if you are 80 or above you should still be able to vote because some people want to be involved in political situations.
People might disagree with this comment because some older people can not remember as much so they may not be able to vote or they might have a different reason.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because, people who are young might not make the right choice in voting, because the frontal lobe is still developing. However, others might disagree because they may think that some of the young ages are ready and have good choice thinking. But study shows that some of the young ages believe in what they see and that's why I think have a higher maximum age is good.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because when growing the world is also growing, it is not the way things are now that things were before. If now, back then in a particular country for example let me use Nigeria, if in Nigeria , those people who were born in the 190s , things were not as easy as it was back then , new gadgets were made, those people would actually want their life to keep getting easy , even if there are things they still need to work for, some that are up to 80 would still like to vote so that his or her country would develop. I would like to say that experience is the best teacher and it is why most people are voting. back in those days, in Nigeria during British colonization before we got our independence, some of us were slaves and we suffered greatly, those people who survived and they still tell the story of the colonization would not want to vote for a president who would make his or her country poor in defense and bring those people back to those days, so yes I do not in any way agree that voting should have a maximum age because when democracy and voting was brought they did not say that it will get to the point that someone would stop voting . voting is for people who want change in bad government and people who understand the life challenges of other people and those who are 80 and above would be able to relate very well because they have passed through rough times. people might think that 80 years and above would stop listening to politics but it is not all so that is why I think that they should not be any maximum age.
I disagree with setting an upper age limit for voting. Voting is a fundamental right for every adult citizen, and age alone isn't a fair way to remove it. Many people stay sharp and informed well into their 80s and beyond, well some younger adults may not be. Older votes often turnout more and influence long-term issues like climate change or debt, but the solution isn't to silence them its to get more young people to vote through better education and easier access.Older citizens also bring valuable experience and wisdom that balance new ideas from younger generations. Taking away their vote based on age would be discriminatory, weaken equal representation, and hurt trust in democracy. Democracy works best when all adult citizens young and old can participate equally. An upper age limit would do more harm then good.
Misinformation does not aim at the level of intelligence or the age group, but it aims at the level of trust. Senior citizens have been through an era when information went through a system of editors, journalists and verifiers.
But now, information goes through a system in which algorithms favor the spread of information that is emotional, rather than accurate.
Thus, a message forwarded to a number of people, a video that is being forwarded, becomes believable simply because it is polished and comes from a familiar source.
Clearly, while the younger voters are more tech-savvy, they are exposed to a different threat: the pace of things. Things move quicker than thought and popularity supplants truth. Both generations are vulnerable, although in a way that is distinctly different.
The true question is not which individual is easier to deceive, but whether the world is willing to promote informed decision-making.
When experience meets digital awareness, misinformation becomes useless.
A healthy democracy is not founded on age, technology or misinformation. It is founded upon ensuring that all voters are capable of challenging, verifying and engaging in independent thought.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because being older doesn't mean being incapable of expressing their opinion and I believe they have the same right as we do for voting. Plus, the older you are the more experience you have since you have been voting for a long time.
On the other hand many countries want to lower the voting age to 16 years old when most of those teenagers don't even watch the news or fully understand what the parties offer and which is the best option for them, I understand that we are the future, but personally, I wouldn't really know much about politics if it wasn't for my grandfather.
However, others might disagree because of the new technologies, they might think old people are not going to understand it because they didn't grow up with it. Honestly, not letting them vote now feels like excluding a group of people from their rights, similar to the past when women were not allowed to vote, so they should be able to decide how they want to live their lives in a political way
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because voting is a fundamental democratic right that should last for a person’s entire life. Removing this right simply because someone has reached a certain age would be unfair and discriminatory. Age alone does not determine how informed, responsible, or capable a voter is. Many older people stay up to date with political issues, follow the news closely, and have decades of experience that help them understand the consequences of government decisions. Their perspectives are valuable because they have lived through social, economic, and political changes that younger generations may not fully understand yet.
However, others might disagree because they believe voting should mainly reflect current society and the future. They argue that younger voters will live longer with the consequences of political decisions, especially on issues like climate change, education, and the economy. Some also worry that very elderly voters may struggle to relate to modern technology or rapidly changing social values.
While these concerns are understandable, setting a maximum voting age could create a dangerous precedent. If rights can be removed based on age, it raises questions about equality and fairness in a democracy. Instead of limiting voting by age, governments should focus on encouraging informed voting for everyone. A truly democratic society should include voices from all generations, not silence one based on age.
You mentioned that the right to vote should last for a person's lifetime. Are there any cases where you think it's reasonable to take away a person's right to vote?
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because at some point, you're basically making rules for a future you won't be around to see. If we don't let 14 -year-old vote because they "Lack experience," it's only fair to ask why people who won't live with the long-term consequences of things like climate change get to hold the steering wheel.
However, others might disagree because they see voting as a total human right that shouldn't have an "expiration date" just because of biology. They'd argue that everyone deserves a say for life, no matter what.
The bottom line: The Vatican's "under 80" rule is actually a pretty smart move. It's not about being mean to elders; it's about making sure the people who have to deal with the mess are the ones making the choices.
this really depends on the circumstances for each individual person. we are all not robots and we don't all age the same and are the same the world is very diverse. if a maximum voting age was proposed for sake of argument lets go 70 years of age their would be several negative and positive points. Cons we are all different just because one person judgment starts to be inferior doesn't mean the other is for example a person who is 71 and be over the proposed voting age their IQ could be around the 150 mark is not allowed to vote yet a 21 year old person with 83 IQ is allowed to vote. additionally making a maximum voting age people could grow upset and file cases with a loose agism case. this is why this is riskier apposing a 16 year old voting as you can make the argument of their brain not being fully developed. Additionally creating a maximum voting age could intern decrease the amount of voters participating. on the pro side their are fewer arguments. for example making a age limit could wipe out some flawed judgment as old age generally mean they are easy to be scammed or mislead as in 2022 83% jump of seniors being scammed (source Britanica senior identity theft). My solution in a ideal world is that their should be a mandatory test sent out to all people in that country. this test would get the persons IQ and judgment skills this would make sure that people are qualified to vote not by their age but their awareness of current politics. a negative of this however is that again their will be less voters. in conclusion i think that my solution is a practical idea
I think that countries should not have a maximum voting age because getting older does not means stop understanding the society or community. However, other might dissagree because being very old voter may not understand modern issues
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because a man who is 80 years old is 100 percent mature and as so he must have the rights to vote because he pays taxes and so on. As he is a citizen he gets affected by the new ruler so he must get the right to vote.
However others might argue that when you become very olflf your brain isn't as good as before. In this very case he couldn't vote because his brain is not properly working but many others are in there full mental power as we have got old presidents controlling whole countries and they are above 80.
Hello topical talkers, hope you are doing well. I think that we should not make a maximum age for voting because the old people have more knowledge than us and they went through many ages. Furthermore, they are pretty wise and are not easily influenced.
In contrast, there is some effects for ageing such as: lowering in the mental strength and remembering is not easy, that could lead to a horrible vote. Consequently, we should not do an age check, we should do a mental check by a small quizz for IQ.
I think countries should NOT have a maximum age for voting because getting older is a part of life, most individuals are going to experience it. The elderly voices should be heard as loud as the other voices in the country no matter the age. Older citizens might even be more experienced and knowledgeable about politics, than 25-40 year olds. Everyone who is eligible to vote should have the right to elect their top pick for president, and prime minister. Another thing to take into account is some seniors get their news the old fashion way not only off of social media, so they could actually be less influenced by propaganda from the internet. For example, reading the local news paper, listening to the radio, miss information is still able to pass through type of media but not AI generated videos. However another viewpoint could be that 25% of seniors suffer from Alzheimer’s and Dementia. This disease affects an individual’s thinking, memory, and social abilities. This could immensely influence how older citizens elect their president because they may have difficulty remembering candidates, understanding political issues, or making fully informed decisions. In some cases, their choices could be influenced more by confusion or by others around them rather than their own beliefs. Although this does not apply to all seniors, it still raises concern about how cognitive health can impact voting decisions.
I firmly believe that citizens over the age of eighty should still be allowed to vote. According to recent studies from prestigious corporations and universities such as Harvard and MIT, while cognitive ability may decrease as citizens age, most cognitive ability decrease comes from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, and more. However, I believe senior citizens that do suffer from neurodegenerative diseases should have to take a test to ensure they possess enough cognitive ability to make logical and thoughtful decisions, such as voting. Some people argue that elderly folk can be swayed more easily by politicians, however this argument is easily rendered useless when we examine that nearly everyone can be swayed by politicians, and it depends not on your age and cognitive function, but whether or not you believe in what the politician is trying to do, and this is simply the whole premise of voting. Additionally, many world leaders, presidents, prime ministers, and other powerful and esteemed politicians are also very old, such as recent presidents of the United States. This factor emphasizes that cognitive function and decision making skills can still be very apt in older citizens.
I think your idea of how to ensure the older voters
Have enough cognitive ability to vote is brilliant. Creating a test that all people (who want to vote) for example 80 and above take would make sure that older folk are properly functioning leading to a fairer vote.
Your example clarifies that old people can do as many feats as a younger person could( except physical activity, of course) and the older a person lives the more knowledge they consume thus making them wiser.
Older people have completed most of their entire lives giving them experience in many factors the average citizen does every day.
Older people have always been respected. But when it comes to political voting we seem to not trust them. So let's give them the respect they deserve.
I think that countries should not have an upper age limit for voting, reasons being first, A core principle of democracy is that all qualified citizens have equal rights, including the right to vote regardless of age. Older people still pay taxes, follow laws, and depend on public services such as healthcare and pensions. Removing their vote would be discrimination based on age and could set bad message, where other groups might lose rights too. Next, in the Vatican City many cardinals in Vatican city who are over 80. This will disrupt the catholic church system as there are over 100 cardinals globally who are over 80. Stripping away decisions for senior citizens above 80 could result in a biased elected leader where the older citizens lose their voice.
However some citizens beleive that countries should have an upper age limit for voting because elections shape the future, and younger people will live with those decisions longer. Issues like climate change, education, and government debt will affect them for decades. Supporters also say that at very old ages, some people may face health or mental challenges, which could affect their ability to making the right choices for them. An age limit, they argue if they can keep the eligible people that vote more inovative and future looking to current realities.
The Vatican is a special case because it is a religious institution, not a typical democracy. Overall, while an age limit might seem practical to some, the risks to fairness and equality make lifelong voting rights the stronger position.
What really pushes this from uncomfortable to serious is how clearly the system rewards short term thinking. Long term issues like climate change, housing, and public debt keep getting delayed because the people making decisions will not be around to face the full consequences. For younger people, those consequences are not abstract. They are basically the rest of our generations lives.
What really frustrates me is how often younger voices are told to just wait their turn, even while irreversible choices are being made right now. And the moment anyone questions whether voting power should reflect long term impact, it is treated like an attack on democracy. But democracy has never been frozen in time. It has changed whenever people realized the system no longer matched reality or fit the system.
I am not arguing to erase anyone’s voice or experience. But equal voting power does not mean equal responsibility when the timelines are completely different. Ignoring that gap quietly turns democracy into something that protects comfort today at the expense of the future. If we actually care about long term outcomes, this conversation is not radical. I am keen on hearing any other points or perspectives on the floor.
Some people think countries should have an upper age limit for voting. They argue that very old voters might not be affected as much by long-term decisions about the future, such as education, jobs, or climate change. They also say that health or memory problems could sometimes make it harder for a small number of elderly people to follow political issues clearly.
However, many others disagree with having an age limit. Voting is a basic democratic right, and setting an upper age limit could be seen as unfair discrimination. Older people still pay taxes, follow the news, and are affected by government decisions—especially healthcare and pensions. Also, age alone does not decide someone’s ability to think or make good choices.
In my opinion, countries should not set an upper age limit for voting. Democracy should include all adults equally, and ability should not be judged simply by age. Instead, governments should focus on making voting accessible and fair for everyone.
I think that if there will be an age limit in voting it should be from the age of 13 and there should not be any range because including the point trying to be made that 80 yr above should be able to participate. If that point is to be made then who will be able to participate because those old people have lived enough in the world to see the good and bad and their decisions on choosing leaders would be perfect.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because from a certain age people don’t have the mental stability to be able to vote and that can impact the country. However, others might disagree because there are many cases where there were people that had the mental
stability to vote and made a good decision but that isn’t the majority of the population.
So ultimately this is a very complicated issue, it requires a lot of deliberation and i understand why someone would disagree, but i believe that there should be a maximum age, because voting is power and i dont think anyone should have power over someone else unless they are qualified for it. Thats why children are not allowed to vote, because they are not qualified, generally lacking the cognitive abilities and knowledge to vote wisely. For the same reason, i think there should be a maximum age because most people over 70 dont have that much time left, so they have a smaller stake in the long-term results of the election. For example, they may not care as much about climate change because they will not be directly affected by it.
However, i do see a very good point for disagreeing with my opinion, as voting is, after all, a human right and it should not be taken away from you solely because you are old. Furthermore, there is a big difference between children not being allowed to vote and seniors, as one is permanent and one is not.
After all, after changing my mind a dozen times on this, i do think that there should be a maximum voting age. I understand, though, if anyone disagreed.
I think that 70-80 year old people should not be able to vote because 70-80 year olds can be very gullible and I think that they could be able to be tricked very easy since most of them don't know what AI (Artificial intelligence) is and how it works. I know that some people might not think that old people are gullible, but I still stick to my point of view.
Some old people might have Alzheimer's disease or dementia and they maybe won't understand what the modern problems are, like climate change and some other problems about the wars. Again, I still understand the opposite opinion that if they are old enough, they should be able to vote, but I think they shouldn't be able to decide for the younger generation.
Is it only 70-80 year olds who can be gullible within society? Do you think it's fair that all people of a certain age have their right to vote removed?
In my opinion voting should have a maximum age. I think that because at the age of 70 and over your mind doesn't think straight. Wth the evolution of AI, most older citizens don't realise what AI is and what is real. At 80 most people don't care about politics anymore. In Romania people over 80 don't even vote. I consider 80 being a big age so, that's why I would make the maximum age 70. In conclusion it makes a difference if the maximum voting age is 80, but if citizens over 80 don't vote and don't care about politics, then, the government should introduce a maximum voting age. Of course I realise some people will disagree, but we need to think about the future - the younger people.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because nowadays AI tells a lot of fake information. I think a maximum voting age should be 70 beacuse older people at that age can believe anything that AI says. However, others might disagree because everyone says that anyone at any age should have the right to vote, even if AI has a bad influence on them. So, my conclusion is that older people shouldn't vote because they are more likely to believe fake news.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because older people are more gullible and they believe almost everything that someone says to them. For exemple, what happened last year in Romania at the presidential election, when George Simion offered older people to vote for him by giving them money. So I think that a good age to stop voting is 75 years old because then pensioners could live how they can their last 10 or 20 years of life without affecting the future of younger people. Other people might disagree with me because they will say "not all elder people are gullible and they can make their own decisions". But lots of them unfortunately are gullible and that is not a good thing.
In conclusion I think it will be better if elder people shouldn't vote.
I think countries should not have an upper age limit for voting because getting older doesn't mean that you're not going to care about the society anymore.
At the same time, many countries think about letting 16-year-olds vote. If young people deserve a voice to decide their future, then older people deserve one too.
However, others might disagree because they think very old voters don't have the mentality to understand the technology problems or the climate change, but I disagree.
In conclusion, I believe that all the people should have the fundamental right to have their personal opinion.
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because older people are more gullible and if they see something online that is AI based or generated they might not be able to realize that it is AI and this apply to fake news. If they have social media for example Tiktok or Instagram they might see or hear some fake news and then if they believe it it might be bad for the vote. However others might disagree with me because they think that older people have more control and they know more then younger ones and I dont agree with that. I think that they should stop voting around the age 70 or 75 so they have more time to live their last years without worrying about every election. Do you agree with me?
I very strongly believe countries should have a maximum voting age. To me, voting is about deciding what kind of future a country is moving toward, and not everyone who votes will actually be part of that future. A young person could live another fifty per say under the effects of today’s decisions, while someone very old will not. That big difference matters, even if it is uncomfortable or not nice to say.
This becomes especially clear with long-term issues like climate policy, public debt, or education reform. These are not short term problems, and the people most affected by them will mainly be from the younger generations. Vatican City’s rule shows that setting an age limit is not impossible or extreme, since I've been there myself, but a deliberate choice about who should be making decisions.
A lot of people say voting should be a lifelong right. I can understand that view, but I don't agree with it. Experience is pretty valuable, but experience does not increase how long someone will live with the consequences of a decision. When everyone has the same voting power but not the same future stake, the system is not actually fair.
Because of that, I think an upper voting age should at least be considered if democracy is meant to represent the future, not just the past.
I think countries should start voting from over 16 years old and should not limit voting age because some countries are going to be decreasing to vote. As many as possible, people should participate to vote for our countries. If voting is limited, not enough people vote. When people from a wide generation participate for election, it can be more accuracy and the result is more clearly because they have different ideas and thinking b generation. Also they have different perspective so student focus on other things and adult. The reason why over 16 is better is students can figure out deeply, they already learn election for social studies and history so they understand politics what is our problem and how do we have to change our countries from education.
I would say that the age shouldn’t decide whether people are able to vote. Some elderly people might not be able to understand politics, don’t inform themselves or vote for the parties they have always voted for. But that’s not because of their age but rather because of their mental health. Some young people don’t inform themselves either and are still allowed to vote. Other people over 80 might still understand the political situation and are able to make thought through political decisions. Of course politics might not be as important to older people as they are to younger people, because they’re don’t have their whole lives ahead of them, but it’s not fair if they no longer have a voice in politics because of their age. If they have voted their entire lives, people over 80 would probably feel excluded from politics.
I think it is a good idea to make people over 80 take a test, that tests their mental health and whether they are still capable of making political decisions. If they pass the test, they can still vote.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because everyone, regardless of how old they are, is still affected by political decisions such as pension, tax, healthcare and public services, so they should still have a voice to speak up about choosing their potential leaders for their own good. Old people are still citizens of the country, so that does not mean they should stop caring about it.
Another reason why I believe there should be no upper age limit because voting is a fundamental human right and going against that can be seen as discrimination and an unfair act to humans. After all, old people are still apart of the country and most are fully capable and mentally capable to vote.
However, others might disagree with me because they think old people have now reached the age where they can’t think properly and their brains have gotten to that stage they can longer withstand. But what about the healthy, capable ones? According to research, 31.5% of people aged over 80 are still in good condition and potentially more. Old people are mostly the ones most interested in politics and always talking about it with others, taking this human right away from them is removing their beliefs and priorities away from them.
In conclusion, old people should still be able to vote without a worry and be able to be aware about the political decisions being made. Everyone should be able to look after the country and themselves, so therefore I believe young or old people can help shape society, regardless of age.
I believe that there must be no age limit in the elections. It is the right for old people to vote in the elections and add new perspectives. Older people have a lot of innovation, and their mentalities are extremely creative and full of diversity since they were living in a generation which had no internet, social media and technology. Consequently, they are way more different from young people and adults furthermore they can have ideas which can change the world. Also, forbidding old people from participating in the elections can make them depressed and make them feel horrible.
This topic actually made me remember about gender inequality and stereotypes (sexism). In upper Egypt, when girls become old enough, their parents stop them from education and make them marry early. Both of the topics link together because in the elections old and young people are stopped from participating in the elections besides girls are also forbidden from education.
There is also another problem in the elections that most of the young people who are from 16-17 years old are also stopped and they do not have their own democracy to spread what they think about. They are also stopped in some countries from voting in the elections like in Egypt and most of the Arab countries.
To conclude, it is the right for every single person in Earth to participate in the elections, yet he or she must be conscience.
I think countries should not have a maximum voting age because everyone deserves to have a say in their future no matter how old they are. Older people have a lot of life experience and wisdom that can help a country make good decisions , and taking away their right to vote just because of their age seems unfair. As long as someone is a member of a country they should be allowed to help pick the leaders.
However, others might disagree because they think younger people will have to live with the results of an election for Much longer. They might argue that an upper age limit ensures that the people making decisions are the ones who are most affected by them in the long run. In my opinion, everyone should keep their vote for life. 🧓🏼=👩🏼
Hope you like my comment 🤗
I think countries should have a maximum voting age because it will limit votes that are made from people who don't fully understand the candidates and people who struggle with cognitive issues like dementia. Older people might also only vote for the candidates that promise to fix their current ,minor issues like pension. Putting an age limit could help that our future generations live a better life as older people might vote to fix their current issues. While I do think that putting an age cap would be discriminatory towards older people and it would weaken democracy principles. I think that it is something to consider when doing elections.
I think that countries should have a maximum voting age because if you are very old and maybe lost a bit of your knowledge,you might not remember some things to help with voting for the next leader in your country.Also,some old people may not have the energy or health to vote.To end this paragraph,since elderly people are more old than us,they might not be interested in politics and voting anymore and might be concentrating more on their health than on politics and politicians.
At the same time,I think countries should not have an maximum voting age as some old people may be very healthy and some may like to discuss and talk about the prices for example and all kinds of politics.Also,if old people cannot vote,why do they also get the new government changes they didn't want.It could also not be fair if a official tells you not to vote just cause you are elderly, I just think that wouldn't be fair for the old people who want to vote and want to decide the future changes in their country.Furthermore,I believe everyone has the right to vote for the changes in their country,even you are old or young,but not too young.In addition to that,some people may think that old people would have lost a bit of knowledge and that is completely fine,but I think that they also have the right to vote as they also live in the country.
I feel that a maximum age for voting is not necessary because I think that although you are older,you still thinking about yourself and choosing what you prefer.
Personally I believe that old people have also enough control of their opinion or what do they think.
By the way,it is true that many people suffer some conditions that make them can not control all of themself,but they can vote also,nobody can choose for them.
As examples,I met people of older ages that have all of their control and they lead their live without thinking about their age.
From my point of view,if they can pay for their houses and for their food,they can also vote for what they feel fair.
So,in conclusion,a maximum age for voting is a waste of time because of their capacity and their ideas.
Okay, I think they're right. The best thing is for younger people to have the opportunity to vote for their future and choose how to lives, since older people will think that the best way to choose was the way it used to be.
I think countries should not have a maximum age because many of them still contribute to society and deserve a say. I think the main aspect of a democracy or a place where people can vote is whether their opinion or "wrong" or they aren't as educated we still allow them vote. Older people can be keeping up with the news in fact I would argue now more than ever they have tools to give them access to news much quicker than before. Additionally many parties can cater to the old people as they are a swing voter group.I believe that Old people are still people who will be affected by these policies and therefore should have a say. However I do understand the very compelling arguments from the other side. I have read many comments saying that old people may be stuck in there ways or have different priorities than young people and may want policies that are bad for the development of the country. To this I would say, sure while some old people may be "stuck" in their ways I think many young people are also unable to move to the other side. Political polarization os super extreme right now and I don't think this is a problem unique to old people. To the second argument on the other side I think that regardless they should still be able to give their opinion as it is a basic right of someone who pays taxes. So, while there are many compelling arguments for why there should be a maximum age limit I believe because of the values of democracy and the unique group of people who deserve to have there opinions heard I wouldn't support a maximum age policy.
I really think countries should have a maximum voting age. Some old people keep voting even when they are not really living in the same world as most people. They are retired not in school not working and often not keeping up with technology or social stuff. It actually matters a lot because they are making decisions that affect everyone else and they don’t really experience the consequences like younger people do.
I don’t think the answer is just let them vote forever because they have experience. Experience is fine but it doesn’t mean they get what life is like now or how society works today. Voting should be about what is happening now not what someone remembers from decades ago. That’s why I really think there should be a maximum voting age. It isn’t about disrespecting anyone it’s just about making voting actually meaningful and letting the people in it better. We already have limits for young voters so having one for older people isn’t weird it’s just practical and fair.
If we ignore this, decisions end up being made by people who aren’t really connected to the world anymore and that isn’t pretty fair. People need to talk about this more because it actually matters for democracy. I look forward to continuing this great discussion.
I think that it is fair if over 21 could do it because if it was younger people they would not be sensible . If 21 do it, it could change your mind.
Hello topical talkers! In my Opinion I think countries should not have a maximum age However others may disagree because elderly folks tend to forget lots of things faster than us younger folks. But people who are older have more experience than younger people and they’ve been through more events than younger folks.Also if you have a maximum age for voting you won't have any wisdom from your elders.Like you know presidents in the United states they are usually older and you may ask”Why are they usually so old all the time?” That is because elderly people have lots of wisdom and know the world better than us younger people. So the voting age should be limitless.
You have a good point that older generations should sometimes step back. I also agree that political decisions don't affect them as much as the younger generation. However, there are still many elderly people who care about the future of younger generations and no matter how old you are, you should still be given the opportunity to vote.
Elderly people can actually be of assistance, as they bring valuable experience and wisdom. They have lived through wars and other political disasters, have seen the long-term consequences of poor political decisions, and can help ensure that the past does not repeat itself.
Younger people may not be fully aware of these past mistakes or might have forgotten them and their serious impact. Some historical lessons can be forgotten over time, especially when the consequences are no linger immediately visible.
This is especially important today, as many political decisions have long-term effects. Older generations can help prevent such mistakes from being repeated by reminding the society of what went wrong before. Therefore, their voices should not be excluded, as they contribute valuable knowledge and perspective to political decisions.
I think there should be an upper age limit for voting.
There are many reasons for this, such as cognitive decline, which is a natural process. As people grow very old, the risk of diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s increases. These conditions can seriously affect a person’s ability to understand political issues, evaluate information critically, and make informed decisions. Since voting influences the future of an entire country, it is important that voters are mentally able to understand the consequences of their choices.
Also, many old people are not that flexible anymore, which means they often just vote for the same party they have always been voting for, although the economy, climate, politics, and society change. These parties may be too conservative or have an outdated view on politics and therefore have a bad influence on progress.
However, I know many of you would say that this would be discrimination, but wouldn’t it also be discrimination if 15-year-olds could not vote?
This is why I think there should be an upper age limit for voting. Changes take time, and people who are 80+ will not get to see these anyway.
I believe that countries should make people take a mandatory cognitive test over the age of 80 if they are to vote. I feel this should be obligatory not just for voters but for aging politicians as well. According to a recent survey, 75% of American voters are in favour of taking such measures. While some people say age cannot determine one's intelligence or understanding of the world, a general knowledge test can. There should be both a cognitive and general knowledge test to ensure the people making the decisions on who to have in government are making choices grounded in facts and at least a basic understanding of the world we live in.
After debating many viewpoints with myself internally - including the potentially outdated views and mental wellbeing of senior voters versus the wisdom of the elderly that helps them make informed decisions and the ethics of taking away someone's voice - it was a discussion with my family that helped me form what I believe will be my final point on this issue. We debated a great deal, but what stood out to me most was when we got to the roots of the word 'democracy.' Democracy is giving everyone a say, regardless of what that say is. It is opening big decisions to a cacophony of different voices and hoping that the resounding chorus reflects the opinions of the country at large.
However, what I think I have glanced over, is that democracy does not always mean the best outcome for a country.
The majority vote may not give a country the best leader, the best policies, the best future. 'Democracy' - allowing everyone a voice, can sometimes mean that extremely important voices are overpowered. People can, and do, suffer because of democracy. But it is still vital.
We do not have a right to take away the voices of others, no matter if we agree with them or deem them worthy enough to be heard. When we begin silencing, we fall down a slippery slope of it. We lose the foundations of democracy itself - of giving everyone a say, and by extension, we lose the foundations of equality.
Therefore, I believe that countries should not have a maximum voting age. With one, voices are stolen, and without these voices, we have no democracy. Without these voices, we have no equality.
A maximun age for voting is an important desition, but I think that don't have a maximun age is better.
Firstly, because more people can vote and express what they feel thought voting. Many old and young people can't vote and they can't make impact on who will govern in the future.
Secondly, because new generations have different ideas and if they can vote they will change things in the world.
On the other hand, people under 16 have less experience and they can be influenced easily, because they are young and they can be disorientated in the moment of voting.
In conclusion, i think that there don't have to be a maximun age to vote and for me every people have to vote for express their opinions and tho have an impact in who will govern.
I partly agree with this topic. Each country has its own laws and these are voted on and accepted by citizens or our representatives.
It´s true that before the age of 16-18 we can be influenceable people, and in our current society from the age of 80-85 they can also become so. I believe that if an age limit is established, it should be a norm for everyone equal and accepted by the majority of population. The majority of old people still have a normal mental capacity, which is what actually matters, even if they have different ideologies or points of view out of tune over time.
In conclusion, I don´t think it is bad as long as the age limit decision has been voted on by all citizens. They wouldn´t be exluded, just relieved.
I think that there should be a limit to voting age for in many, old people loose the ability to comprehend speeches and understand the dangers around them. Most elder people even loose the ability to remember important things because of an illness called alzheimer. However some people do not get memory loss and can still vote for their opinion, so that can contrast with the age limit being 80.
I disagree because 80 is an high limit for voting and this should not go any higher because young people should have a advantage to at least speak while being young like around 19 or 20 this does not mean at 80 someone stops understanding the socitey or not caring about it . Someone who lives on my road is over 80 and still goes and watches the news not every day but they still go on it and talks about voting ,foods, healthcare and other stuff . He only complains when stuff are unfair and that shows older people are sometimes upset at the governments decisions .
At this same time , some countries including mine are thinking about the debate about 16 and 17 year old's vote in the future . I do think that young people are allowed to speak because they live in this social socitey now, also older people derserve a chnce to speak so does everyone cause they live in it to.