Would giving 16-year-olds the vote improve democracy or just change the way campaigns are run?

The voting age should be lowered to 16 to ensure that the youth have a say in today's law, since the law passed today will shape the world 16-year-olds live in tomorrow, and they should have a say in that future.

The law is a big part of a 16-year-old's life; at 16, that means they are slowly transitioning to a point where they can gain significant autonomy, which includes consenting to goods independently instead of their parents' consent, while assuming increased legal responsibilities, like taxes. Places like Fairvote state that, “Some citizens won’t have the chance to vote for their mayor until 22.” Voting early can shape lifelong voting habits; missing the first opportunities to vote makes it less likely to participate in consistently voting in future elections. By lowering the voting age, students can start participating in voting while they are in school, a structured environment with ethical education.

Lowering the voting age to 16 also makes the government focus on what the youth actually want, such as lowering the cost of living. 16-year-olds are directly affected by rising housing prices, tuition fees, transportation, and the difficulties of being stable in the future. Many teenagers already contribute to the economy by working a part-time job, and yet, they still struggle to even afford necessities. When given the time to vote, voters focus mainly on their own perspective and not on the youth's perspective. That creates a cycle of youth not being heard and their opinions not being shared. Childrenfirstcanada.org states that 71% of youth in Canada agreed they felt comfortable lowering the voting age to under 18. It also states that 54% of youth also agreed that youth under 18 should be able to run as a member of parliament; it was less about being capable and more about the logistics. Additionally, almost 90% of youth said that they knew who they would vote for in the last election. As a result of this, if they are already that prepared about who to vote for, why don't we give them the right to do so?

In conclusion, lowering the voting age to 16 is fair and logical, and younger people's opinions can be heard more. They are informed, affected by laws, and ready to participate. Lowering the voting age creates a much more inclusive political system.