Argentina lowers voting age to 16

[merithyn]

Why not? That's the one institution they know and care about. I would expect that a majority of 16 year old high school students is rational and moderate. Some kind of participation in what school is about seems to be reasonable, after all they are major stakeholders and are directly affected.

You think way more highly of the average teenager than most people do. In general, I agree with you. However, I wouldn't expect many 16 - 17 year olds would bother to vote. If they did, I could see them not bothering to read up on it to do so. Unless it became part of the curriculum and a class field trip, I just don't see it happening.

[Phillip V]

What issues would the candidates focus on if teenagers under 18 could vote? 7 teenagers weigh in:

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/11/04/if-young-people-could-vote-what-would-change

[Zanza]

I don't think they would be rational about decisions for their school. Do you remember being 16?

Yes.

We have limited representation of students in the decision bodies in our schools. They can always be outvoted by the teachers and parents, but at least they can participate in the discussions and their opinions are heard. As far as I can tell, only the rational and interested students bothered to get elected for this anyway, so there is a natural selection. If there is one clown elected, that does not matter. However, as far as I am aware, we don't have any policy-setting level for schools between the individual school and the ministry of education on state level, so we don't have something similar to your school boards (as I understand them).

[dps]

I don't think they would be rational about decisions for their school. Do you remember being 16?

When I was in school, I think most of us would have voted for a candidate who supported burning down the schools and shooting the teachers.

[PDH]

I don't think they would be rational about decisions for their school. Do you remember being 16?

When I was in school, I think most of us would have voted for a candidate who supported burning down the schools and shooting the teachers.

I still am tempted to vote anarchist.

[derspiess]

I briefly took part in a demonstration by the middle class at the Obelisk in downtown Buenos Aires this evening to protest horrible populist policies of the current president.  It felt: good.

8N