Premium Debate: Subscribers weigh in on changing the voting age

Make It 16 co-director Caeden Tipler (centre) with Anika Green (left), Ella Flavell, Caitlin Taylor and Lily Lewis at the Supreme Court in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

An appeal to lower the voting age to 16 has been accepted by New Zealand’s highest court — but only Parliament can decide if the law will change.

Read the full story here: Supreme Court rules in favour of lowering voting age to 16 in case by Make it 16 group

Have your say by going to bayofplentytimes.co.nz or dailypost.co.nz and becoming a Premium subscriber.

Of course the current age discriminates against those who are younger. But so would lowering the voting age to include 16 and 17-year-olds discriminate against 14 and 15-year-olds. Any age is arbitrary, but we choose an age limit because to not have a qualifying limit would be ridiculous. We do the same with the driving age and the age to buy alcohol, for example.

— Carrick B

Why don’t we lower the voting age to 10. Isn’t not allowing 10-year-olds to vote age discrimination? Come on. Where does it stop? 16-year-olds are too young to drink, buy cigarettes, join the military, but mature enough to be able to make serious decisions necessary to vote? Keep it at 18.

— John H

Old people never seem to want young people to vote. The arguments for it are pretty compelling, though, in terms of rights. I think they should be allowed to vote because they are the ones who are going to inherit the mess we leave the world in.

— Ross W

I work in the space where I deal with 16-year-olds on a daily basis. Yes, without a doubt there are “some” 16-year-olds who are very politically savvy and aware of the current issues in our community and society and can discuss issues with adults in a mature way. However, I would have to say that “most” 16-year-olds have no interest in adult and community issues, many are very egocentric and would not value and appreciate the privilege of voting in a democracy. Why not let 10-year-olds vote?

— Craig W

So who looks back now at the choices or decisions they made at 16 and thinks they had it right? Or when you look back 10, 20, 30, 40 years. You wonder what you were thinking.

— Abbey S

It will be interesting to see how many 16-17-year-olds turn out to vote. It would not have been high on my agenda at that age, I would not have had any clue who to vote for either. I am sure there are some over-achievers out there who will be following politics at that age, but it won’t be the majority.

— Gemma L

Well done Make it 16. It seems like 16 was many, many years ago for most of the commenters here. Many current 16 and 17-year-olds are more than capable of having a say in what happens in the next three years of their lives, particularly for those who turn 18 during the electoral term. If they aren’t interested, they won’t vote.

— Paul B

I propose we just scrap the voting age altogether and instead replace it with an IQ test, which you can take only once you actually start paying tax. That same principle should apply to being an MP as well.

— Guy S

Sorry, not a good idea. No real-life experience at that age. Seems like we really are going the PC way here.

— Kevin S

So does the youth court cease to be appropriate for 16 and 17-year-olds now? If they have adult rights they should have the responsibilities across all platforms.

— Lesley P

— Republished comments may be edited at the editor’s discretion.