I'd like to compare non voters and disenfranchised voters vs young people. I've worked with young people a lot over the years. I don't think many give them enough credit in my experience. Teaching youth I have found that when given the proper information and having discussions openly about civics, history, the economy, sex, education, literature or any other "adult subject" these "kids" often make much more informed decisions than adults.

I don't think we should be enforcing voting restrictions on this age group. That's my personal opinion but I also would like numbers. Yet, If my kid can get a job and pay taxes, Drive, take care of their own healthcare and mental health care (age of consent for mental healthcare in my province is 12. No parents necessary in fact they're even asked not to attend) then why not voting. We are already giving them all the power to earn, spend, command a death machine, make choices about whether to take prescribed medications and then use them properly. That means they make many individual choices that affect society at large, themselves, their employers etc. daily.

I personally feel that should give them a say in how those things occur. They should have input into laws and restrictions that affect them. Minimum wage. Driving laws. Work permissions. Trials as adults or youth. So many things. They have been proven to be responsible enough not to kill people after all. If they break the law and that crime is deemed serious enough they are tried as adults. Why not be welcome to assist in making the very decisions that will affect a very important time in their lives.

Like I've said previously, I would also like to see some data. Not just knee jerk reactions. I'd like to think by giving voting rights to younger people we would also re-engage them in actual political discourse. When I was that age ( late 80's/early 90's) I was extremely politically engaged. Probably more than I am now. But we had open discourse and civics class. Our parents taught us not about political parties but voting in general.

But I would also like to see parents actually parent again which would solve many of the arguments against younger people voting. Those two things seem far away right now.