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.
I had the same experience at 18, and it wasn’t even a decade ago. this is a reason I think we should increase the age limit, if we touch it at all.
Having said that, I’m finding some of the arguments the other way here fairly convincing.
But conversely, I remember in 2010 I asked a youth group what they thought the main parties were about. They said that Labour were about making education better and the Conservatives were about making the NHS better. None of them remembered that the Conservatives massively underfunded the NHS and always prioritised tax cuts over public services. I was right. They were wrong.
I had the same experience at 18, and it wasn’t even a decade ago. this is a reason I think we should increase the age limit, if we touch it at all.
So much this. 16 year olds rarely know (or care) much about politics, AT ALL.
This will make it much more likely that young people will acquire the habit of not voting.
Make them wait till they want it.
Having said that, I’m finding some of the arguments the other way here fairly convincing.
But conversely, I remember in 2010 I asked a youth group what they thought the main parties were about. They said that Labour were about making education better and the Conservatives were about making the NHS better. None of them remembered that the Conservatives massively underfunded the NHS and always prioritised tax cuts over public services. I was right. They were wrong.