# Perhaps we should raise the voting age, uh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 14, 2020, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550 "2020-11-14T03:04:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/41 "2020-11-14T19:57:26Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Please read the post to which I was responded. He noticed a lack of respect for younger people. That’s to be expected, since most of them don’t have the life experience to have earned respect I try to respect everyone, until they have given me reasons not to. That includes 5 year olds, 10 year olds, and 20 year olds. But the OP was talking about 18 to 40 year olds, and I don’t see any reason to disrespect members of that that group. Also, I will not most of the lack of respect for “older people” the OP noted came from those of us in that demographic. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/42 "2020-11-14T19:58:07Z")
This topic was introduced as a side idea in a thread from back in early October. It picks up with this post: > [@Starting over, the NEW new form of government thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starting-over-the-new-new-form-of-government-thread/922154/46): > > I’d like to see voting power adjusted to the age of the voter. An 18 year old should get 100 votes and lose one vote each year after that. A 19 year old gets 99 votes, a 40 year old gets 78 votes, an 80 year old gets 38 votes and so on. This gives those with the most stake in the future a greater say in the planning for that future. You’ll see we plowed pretty much the same ground as this thread does. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/43 "2020-11-14T20:08:01Z")
Did I argue-brag about my daughter? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/44 "2020-11-14T20:31:18Z")
A little. However, she is worth bragging about. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/45 "2020-11-14T20:33:55Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I think everyone should be disenfranchised. Except me; I would be the only person allowed to vote. Ah, truly one man, one vote. I agree, except it should be me who votes. The OP is truly a non-starter. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/46 "2020-11-14T20:46:58Z")
I could get behind the OP if you raised it by one year, and also didn’t allow anyone over 42 to vote, and then raised that bar by one year every year. Other than that, no. As far as kids voting, I actually think they should. Is a 5 year old all that much less informed than an adult who watches Fox? I could see weighting it a bit, so that 0-5 gets a quarter vote, 5-10 gets half, 10-15 gets three quarters, and you get full suffrage at 16. It does seem as though they should have some say in the future that we leave for them. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/47 "2020-11-14T21:10:25Z")
Maybe voting rights should be ‘used it or lose it!’, don’t vote, say, two times in a row, you’re out! (Without a great excuse.) Nothing makes people work to hang on to something, quite like threatening to take it from them!😊 ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/48 "2020-11-14T21:17:37Z")
What do you consider a missed election? Just presidential elections, or all of them? Most years, I get the opportunity to vote at least once, usually twice, on something or other. As far as motivating people to vote, I always thought that entering you into a lottery would be the greatest motivator. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/49 "2020-11-14T21:36:07Z")
> [@Forever77](#): > > This last election did have more of the younger ages under 25 voting which added into the entire vote never has made a difference in the past. > > You know what I mean if all of the under 25 that voted had voted for the loser (which in this case was Trump) the loser still would not have won. I just want to make sure I’m reading this correctly: in, for example, the 2000 election, Gore famously lost due to a mere 537-vote margin in Florida — which means, as far as I can tell, that if a mere 269 voters thereabouts had switched their votes from Bush to Gore, then, uh, _insert folksy phrase here,_ right? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/50 "2020-11-14T22:20:59Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Respect is earned. What percentage of teenagers have earned respect? My father was a teenager when he was serving in the military; and, as I understand it, he got to cast a vote on the big important question of who should be the _next_ Commander-in-Chief bossing around a bunch of conscripts who have to get funny haircuts and wear target uniforms. And, well, I can’t imagine figuring my dad _shouldn’t_ have gotten that say. And as for me, I was all of six years old the first time I heard the lyric about being old enough to kill but not for voting — and I’m old enough these days to satisfy the OP’s requirements, but it sure wasn’t hard to reach the same conclusion _then_ that I’m still on about _now._ ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/51 "2020-11-14T22:31:47Z")
Older people were more likely to vote for Trump, which proves their wisdom. Non-college educated were more likely to vote for Trump, which proves folk wisdom is more important than qualifications and book-learnin’. I think the voting age should be lowered to encourage participation. I think the drinking age should be about the same everywhere. I think your maximum driving speed (in kilometres per hour) should be three times your age - because younger drivers lack experience and older drivers… well, maybe I can’t justify it, but that’s only because it isn’t a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/52 "2020-11-14T22:41:44Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I think the drinking age should be about the same everywhere. I think your maximum driving speed (in kilometres per hour) should be three times your age - because younger drivers lack experience and older drivers… well, maybe I can’t justify it, but that’s only because it isn’t a good idea. My car doesn’t go that fast. Most don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/53 "2020-11-15T02:35:10Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Some psychiatrists claim that the human brain is not fully developed until the mid-20s, and that people younger than 25 are significantly more likely to make decisions on impulse, without considering the long-term consequences. Evidence suggests that the human brain is not fully developed until sometime after age 74. So drinking, driving, voting, serving in the military and especially holding high elected office should not be allowed until some age greater than that. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/54 "2020-11-15T05:23:40Z")
Many of the old people I know have gotten dumber with age. More dogmatic, ignorant, emotional, gullible, etc. Raising it would be a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/55 "2020-11-15T05:34:33Z")
Voting age should be 235. It’s the only way to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/56 "2020-11-15T11:46:43Z")
When I read the thread title and the OP’s name, I figured this was a joke because the OP was born in '77 and therefore just above 41. But now I’m just confused… ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/57 "2020-11-15T13:59:31Z")
You don’t know if you don’t try. ---
**Author:** ![yarblek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/71e660/32.png) [@yarblek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yarblek)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/58 "2020-11-15T14:46:21Z")
I seem to recall that your voter registration lapses in some places if you don’t vote for a certain amount of cycles. So that is already being done, just not to the extant of felony disenfranchisement. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/59 "2020-11-15T14:54:58Z")
I was ready to chime in with this argument until I saw your post. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550/60 "2020-11-15T18:55:58Z")
Yeah, having to reregister isn’t quite the incentive as losing your right to vote though! Ha! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perhaps-we-should-raise-the-voting-age-uh/925550.md?page=4)