this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2025
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[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 8 points 11 hours ago

It can either go terribly wrong or terribly right.

This either makes the far-right radicalize teens at an earlier age, or finally schools no longer will be for 50+ year old bitter people who want the younger generation suffer.

[–] svcg@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 12 hours ago

As someone who voted for Nick Clegg in their first ever general election vote, I think it's important that we shatter our youth's idealism early and often.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 88 points 1 day ago (11 children)

Not gonna lie, I don't think that I was mature enough at sixteen for my opinion to have mattered on a macro scale.

[–] Mustard@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 52 minutes ago

Braindead inbred fucks from the midlands who worship the Daily Mail as gospel can vote, so I'm not worried about the kids.

[–] troglodyke@lemmy.federate.cc 6 points 13 hours ago

Sure, but I want mature enough at 18 either. A lot of people aren't mature enough at 40 to fully comprehend what they're voting for. We don't enfranchise people with votes based on their level of knowledge though, we do it if they're considered active members of society - and 16 year olds are considered adults in a large amount of their day-to-day life

[–] froh42@lemmy.world 9 points 15 hours ago

When my son turned 16 and my daughter was 18 I had that discussion with them, as I'm a supporter of being allowed to vote with 16.

My 16y old son was against it "Look at all my friends, they don't inform themselves and everyone would been voting for some shit party that promises something"

My answer to that is, most people do. "Being qualified" is not a condition for being able to vote. Yes, there's a line you cross when you grow up, a toddler obviously can't vote yet, an adult can.

But in the end it's arbitrary where you put that line and by moving it down to 16 you can "a bit" influence the relative large weight of older generations in elections.

When I vote, I'll have to live with the consequences for 30y in the best case before I'm worm food. For my kids the number is over 60y.

So regardless of "how qualified to vote" you are, moving down the election age changes the decision making to be of longer term and less of short term.

[–] sunbytes@lemmy.world 7 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Most people aren't mature enough their entire lives, but we don't filter them out.

[–] brown_guy45@lemmy.zip 3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

That's the shittiest part. Honestly some people don't deserve to vote, they just lack critical thinking

[–] Flagg76@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Let me guess most of those people don't agree with you... 😁

[–] brown_guy45@lemmy.zip 1 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I'm moderate so definitely both sides hate me

[–] Flagg76@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago

Lol yeah you need to be in a trench throwing rocks at the other side, not being all sensible how dare you! 😁

[–] bampop@lemmy.world 5 points 14 hours ago

I know I wasn't mature enough, but if being well informed, politically conscious and sensible were a prerequisite for voting, we'd be living in a very different world. As far as I'm concerned, this is most likely to change things for the better.

I was the weird kid who was more politically informed than the average adult, but I'd read the newspaper daily since about 12 or so. Maturity IDK but there are many adults that are less mature than I was.

[–] Barrington@feddit.org 69 points 1 day ago (1 children)

But do you think you cared more about the future than someone who is 70?

Is voting selfish reasons at 16 naturally better than someone doing the same at 80?

I agree, I probably didn't know enough at the time to make the most informed choice but I was definitely more idealistic, and I think that would have been a good thing.

Also, will there her more policy aimed at improving the lives of 16+ knowing they can vote.

I think the positives out way any downside.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 32 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Honestly no, I was a twat at sixteen. But I acknowledge that I'm speaking for myself.

[–] Barrington@feddit.org 17 points 1 day ago

I appreciate your honesty. I would have to say I was still a twat when I started to vote, and was for a long time after.

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[–] kebab@endlesstalk.org 14 points 1 day ago

Don’t worry, now teens have TikTok which they can source their information from, so we should be safe

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 0 points 12 hours ago

Well good news, because the opinion of the electorate counts for shit in any case, whether they can vote or not.

At best we can choose the colour of the tie of the conservatives in charge.

In any case, a quick look at any town's "Spotted" Facebook page should be enough to convince you that most adults aren't really a lot more functional than teenagers. They're just better at hiding their insecurity. People on mine went crazy for Reform. Reform got in (Derbyshire County Council). Reform closed a local community centre. The response: Why have Labour done this?

As a normal person, all I can do is run to one side to try and balance the Titanic, but if it's going to sink, it's going to sink.

[–] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 day ago

Im 60 this year and feel the same now. I don't know shit, so not sure i should be asked to vote.

I think being granted the right to vote at that age would have made me care enough to educate myself on some of the nuance. But I would also not describe myself as a typical meatbag.

[–] gonzo-rand19@moist.catsweat.com 40 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Seems convenient that it's happening now, under a conservative Labour PM, at the same time that data show that the generation currently around the age of 16 is generally more conservative than their parents.

But aside from that, this seems like a good thing.

[–] sunbytes@lemmy.world 7 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I think it's going to completely change how schools are managed.

If some politicians decide to cater to 17 year olds about improving school funding or safety or regulation... we might see changes not based on fear (or they might just stop degrading due to lack of attention).

I think we see a reform manifesto pledge to 'bring back good, honest turkey twizzlers' to school canteens 🙃

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 27 points 1 day ago (2 children)

But aside from that, this seems like a good thing.

I'm really not sure about that, even if not considering the relation of people from that age to personalized manipulative social media.

[–] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 14 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Maybe but electoral outcomes can take decades to work out the consequences they have to live with, so it makes some sense.to allow them to have a voice.

When i voted my first time at 18 i wasn't engaged in either the process or the candidates, it took another couple years, so maybe by the time they're 18-20 they will take it seriously and be more engaged rather then by the time i was 22-24.

As a 60 yr old, lefty, I don't think an 80 yr old should have the vote. They had their chance for many, many decades.

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[–] gonzo-rand19@moist.catsweat.com 17 points 1 day ago (7 children)

If you pay (edit: income) tax, you should have the right to vote. I'm not convinced by all of the catastrophizing about it. Turning 16 unlocks a lot of rights and privileges in the UK and I have faith that teenagers won't be the reason that quality of life worsens.

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[–] Matriks404@lemmy.world 0 points 11 hours ago

I would make a counterargument and raise the age of being legally an adult to 21, or at least do not allow anyone to drink alcohol and do not allow anyone to drive a car before turning 21. There is a lot of tragedy that could be avoided just by doing that.

[–] genevieve@sh.itjust.works 66 points 1 day ago (17 children)

“The government said it was a reform to bring in more fairness for 16- and 17-year-olds, many of whom already work and are able to serve in the military. It brings the whole of the UK voting age to 16. Scotland and Wales have already made the change for Holyrood and Senedd elections, as well as local council elections.”

Great logical reform.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Work full time? When does mandatory school end over there?

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

In most of the west you can legally drop out ~15 years old. I kinda wish I did tbh. Most of my education came after school.

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