Should everyone of legal age be allowed to vote?

[afro-elf]

Personally, I don't think so.

I think that there should be some kind of test( not a brain breaking one either) on goverment and critical thinking that has to passed 1st.

I am not concerned about the logistics now just the general ideas of what people think

[Sister Golden Hair]

I remember when they lowered the voting age to 18. I was in high school, and kids thought by that happening, that they would then be allowed to get alcohol too. Didn't work that way of course. Everything should be set at one age I think.

As for a test, well, voting is considered a privalage, not a requirement, so I don't know that that wouldn't be considered a bit heavy handed. It's been my experience that most people that vote, do it because it matters to them, so why would they have to take a test? People that don't vote, usually don't care anyway.

[afro-elf]

It's been my experience that most people that vote, do it because it matters to them, so why would they have to take a test?

I am glad you mentioned that. Just because something matters does that mean one is "qualifed" to vote on it.

People that don't vote, usually don't care anyway

True.

[Sister Golden Hair]

I am glad you mentioned that. Just because something matters does that mean one is "qualifed" to vote on it.

Nope, it certianly does not, but why would you vote on something you know nothing about? I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I think when you start requiring things like testing for something like voting, that isn't required to do, then you are going to have problems with people that do vote resposibly.

[afro-elf]

that isn't required to do, then you are going to have problems with people that do vote resposibly.

Again:
I am not concerned about the logistics


But, I think that people just tend to vote with their party, not with a detailed or critical view of the topics,

[Khamûl]

I would say yes. Just because you don't understand how the government works or something like that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be able to vote for a candidate whose views and policies you support. There is a difference between not caring enough to vote and not being able to vote. I think that telling someone they couldn't vote would be violating one of the great principles of this country -- the right to be heard and have a say in what affects you. But that's just me.

[afro-elf]

right to be heard and have a say

I don;t know if it should be a right or a privilege.


I feel that there needs to be something more.

[Elven Archer]

they should be allowed to vote (and they are) but there's alot of ignorant teenagers out there who just believe everything they hear so it's kind of frighting that they're voting for our next president or whatever else.

if they weren't allowed to vote that'd just be more restriction on our freedom.

[Khamûl]

If you think about it, voting is already a privilege. Not every country in the world allows people to have a voice in the government.

[afro-elf]

but there's alot of ignorant teenagers out there who just believe everything they hear so it's kind of frighting that they're voting for our next president or whatever else.

I would expand that to Humans and not just teens.

[Anglorfin]

I don't know if anybody is aware of this, but my uncle was explaining something interesting to me about the voting process. Somewhere at the state level, like governor's caucuses or whatever, when you go in to vote you have to declare you party. Which basically means you have just revealed who you are going to vote for. Once you have declared a party, pitches from that party will start sailing into your mailbox from all around the country during voting periods. The odd thing is that once you declare a party you are basically stuck with it, it is not easy to switch for some reason or another. So if suddenly you wanted to support an opposing party by sending money or whatever, you couldn't because you have already declared yourself for the other party. So they have not only hooked you but netted you as well.
(forgive me if this is a little rough or inacurrate, it was all I could remember from overhearing my uncle's conversation)

In any case, I'd like to vote as an independant but until I have a thorough grasp of how the actual voting system works let alone the political platforms of all the candidates I am going to stay away from the ballot box.

[afro-elf]

Yeah, I think my concern is people SOLELY voting due to Party line.

I think that if you are non aligned that you can not vote in the primaries only the general elections.

Can someone varify this?

[afro-elf]

It is not a matter of do the people agree with me or not but the why's of what they are voting for.

People vote for a reason but have they reasoned.

I need to clarify that I am just tossing out ideas.

[Sheeana]

It doesn't matter how old you are when you vote, it matters how informed you are. In New Zealand, this isn't necesarilly a problem with National level elections - most people know who is what, and where. However, it is the local body elections - for city councils and such - that people are woefully uninformed out. I really don't see how you're going to inform voters of the information needed to vote, unless you run a class in schools that covers the local body elections, and this would be rapidly out of date with each election.

Someone already mentioned it, but I'll say it again: those who can be bothered voting are usually pretty well informed anyway.

[Anglorfin]

I think that's what my uncle was saying. You have to declare yourself in order to vote in the primaries. And after you declare that party you are supposed to pay party dues and all that, which is why it is so hard to pull out of any particular party.

[GrayMouser]

Originally posted by Anglorfin
The odd thing is that once you declare a party you are basically stuck with it, it is not easy to switch for some reason or another. So if suddenly you wanted to support an opposing party by sending money or whatever, you couldn't because you have already declared yourself for the other party. So they have not only hooked you but netted you as well.
(forgive me if this is a little rough or inacurrate, it was all I could remember from overhearing my uncle's conversation)

I'm not aware of the ins and outs of how Americans register for their party, but I know that what what you are saying in the above quote is totally inaccurate.

As for the uniquely American system of primaries, it varies from state to state. Some states allow only registered supporters to vote in party primaries; others have open primaries.

Afro-elf, I'm quite surprised to hear your support for a qualifications test for voters, given that in American history the main purpose of such tests has been to prevent black people from having the vote.

Another question : should criminals who have served their sentence have their voting rights taken away?

[afro-elf]

It is not a matter of do the people agree with me or not but the why's of what they are voting for.

People vote for a reason but have they reasoned.

I need to clarify that I am just tossing out ideas.

[afro-elf]

I think I am going to have to bow out due to time constraints.

[Anglorfin]

I totally agree with you, AE. We had a mock election in my school to see who would win the Presidential election of 2000. In history classes we were supposed to go online and research all the parties, basically ALL of us starting out as independants using our REASONING to pick who we thought had the best political platform. I voted green party and I got so pissed off because basically everyone in the school all of a sudden was like "Yeah you just did that because you want your freakin' weed legalized." That is not reasoning. I doubt if any of the other students actually took the assignment seriously and just voted for the popular parties or whoever their parents said they were voting for. Anyway, I find this high school example to be strikingly and disturbingly similar to what we have going on in the real elections.

As for criminals, they shouldn't have their voting rights taken away. If they are able to function in society after release then that should include voting.

[Millane]

Someone already mentioned it, but I'll say it again: those who can be bothered voting are usually pretty well informed anyway.

not in the case of Australia were voting is compulsory and i think it is safe to say the majority (or at least a pretty big percent) just put a number in the box.

Everything should be set at one age I think.

again thats how it happens here... i just seem to wonder though if people getting there licence the same day there allowed to drink legally is such a good idea...
as to the topic i think that to say someone has more right to vote than someone else just over a test is not a good optio not to mention what you are going to test people on...