Brendon Browne's Constitutional Amendment For 17 Year Olds To Vote

In the interest of argument, let me just suggest that (4.00 / 2)

military service and civic participation aren't really in the same category.  Since the abolition of the draft, military service has been transformed from involuntary servitude to voluntary servitude--i.e. a strongly hierarchical social institution.
Exercising the obligations of citizenship is something different.  Mainly, it's the opposite of a hierarchical arrangement in that power flows from the bottom up.  
While I think that's a good thing, I wonder what effect this partial grant of participation in governing will have on such other components as serving on juries, holding public office, entering into contracts and taking part in law-making.  What's the justification for the 18/17 year dividing line.

I'm reminded that when my mother was naturalized, I, as a minor, didn't get a certificate of naturalization like hers.  Mine said, "Certificate of Citizenship"--i.e. I was a citizen at age 14.
BTW, I don't recall anyone ever asking to see my papers in the subsequent 50+ years.

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by: hannah @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 06:44:20 AM CST

I think this constitutional amendment (0.00 / 0)

doesn't really alter age 18 as the age where the government recognizes the individual as a human being (even then, there are so many restrictions until age 21). If the amendment allowed for 17 year olds to vote in the general election, that'd be one thing. This constitutional amendment seems to address the injustice faced by 18 year olds voting in a general election for candidates that were chosen without their input.

Practically, it's unlikely there would be very much change to election outcomes, but it makes theoretical sense given the primaries are used to determine candidates for election and elections to determine the makeup of the government. Without the opportunity to consent to the candidacies, voting in the general election is less democratic for the people currently too young to vote in the primary, but old enough to vote in the general.

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by: Alex Gallichon @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 12:53:28 PM CST

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This continues to be a good idea. (0.00 / 0)

Particularly with respect to getting people to vote the first time to get them to vote later on.

If 17-year-olds can vote in primaries, high school teachers can offer extra credit for doing so, etc.

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Hope 2012

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 07:48:37 AM CST

Adding: (0.00 / 0)

"Can" being the operative word.

I seem to remember every teacher I know being annoyed that Sarah Palin gave their students extra credit once upon a time.

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Hope 2012

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 07:50:15 AM CST

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That seems not too different (0.00 / 0)

from ward bosses of old giving out beer for voting.

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by: Alex Gallichon @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 12:44:07 PM CST

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And it's not voting for the sake of voting, it's encouraging involvement. (0.00 / 0)

Giving out bribes for voting for a specific candidate is not the same as a civics teacher trying to get students to vote--at all--as part of an effort to make civic-minded citizens.

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Hope 2012

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 22:13:39 PM CST

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Isnt the real question here whether 17 years olds are mature enough to vote? (0.00 / 0)

It is not entirely clear that the answer is yes. Brain development continues after 17, especially in those areas that involve judgment. (This was an argument put forward last year by those who wished to raise the age of adult criminal liability to 18). I personally wouldn't have a problem with 17 year olds not voting, going to prison or going to war. One of the worst policy choices made in the last twenty years IMO in criminal law was to lower the age for adult jurisdiction from 18 to 17. Kids in high school just don't as a whole belong in the same class as adult offenders.

If however we are going to treat 17 year olds as adults for criminal jurisdiction and entering the military, then fairness mandates that we allow them to vote. But there is always the alternative of raising all ages (including driving cars) to 18 which might be a better overall result .  

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 14:35:32 PM CST

link to article on brain maturity (4.00 / 1)

http://www.abanet.org/crimjust...

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 14:39:43 PM CST

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We luvs us some data! n/t (0.00 / 0)

Whack-a-mole, anyone?

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 14:52:41 PM CST

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If you can vote in the general, you should be able to help choose the options. (0.00 / 0)

And if you're old enough to die for your country, you're old enough to vote.

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Hope 2012

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 22:14:44 PM CST

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In my 10 or so years of teaching ages 14-18, (4.00 / 1)

my feeling is:

16? Too young, in general.

17? Ready to make an informed choice, in general. I find no substantive difference in a 17 v. an 18 year old's ability to distinguish political issues and to make a choice based on what's right for them rather than peer pressure or influence of parents or other authority figures, etc...

There are always plenty of examples to make us cringe, of course, at all ages.

There is a major practical benefit to bringing it to 17, though I don't believe that it's an argument to pass the law.  In November, there are few high school seniors who are 18, but almost everyone is either 18 or 17.  The difference in creating a culture of civic duty and voting would be overwhelming.  It's the difference between:

a) a handful of kids taking the time to go vote after school, with very little fanfare or notice,

versus

b) an entire school grade eager to get out there and vote en masse, which could create one of those perennial traditions in the school calendar that upcoming grades look forward to when it's their turn.

Of course, I'm theorizing on voting at 17 in general, not the specifics NH primary  situation talked about here.


birch paper

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by: Dean Barker @ Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 22:42:12 PM CST

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