Status (overview) of bill:https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/SJR22
Committee assigned to bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Committees/SRULES/Overview
This bill amends Oregon Constitution lowering voting age from 18 to 16 years old. Referred to voters.
Personal Choice and Responsibility
In an attempt to improve voter turnout the bill lowers the voting age to 16 it instill an interest at an earlier age. The fallacy is that teenagers don’t have fully developed brains to manage executive processing decisions of a complex manner that has more universal consequences. Neuroscientists agree that the human brain hasn’t really developed until the mid 20’s, and most scientist claim the brain isn’t fully developed until age 25. Adding to much responsibility and stress to a developing brain has the same risk as alcohol or drug abuse that can permanently affect the brain. To allow 16 year olds voting rights may be harmful for many. The brain is constantly adapting to circumstances, environment and experiences that are essential to understand voting issues for the greater population outside of the teenage world. There are mature teens with exceptional reasoning skills, but they are a small percentage and they don’t represent the majority. This bill is aimed at getting the majority involved in voting.
Fiscal Responsibility
Not fiscally responsible to allow a 16 year old to impact the finances of the state when they aren’t supporting themselves and have had no financial independence.
If they’re not old enough to defend this country, not old enough to buy a gun, not old enough to buy cigarettes. Then they’re not old enough to VOTE!
Ballots will be lying around high schools with “ballot coaches” teaching students how to fill them out, then turning them in for them, a ballot custody nightmare. Don’t do this!
Good point Arden. Schools will compete for who turned in the most ballots.
How low can you go to get votes?? Female minds are “matured ” around 20 yrs of age; males about 25 yrs of age. Neither can buy a gun or purchase alcohol or tobacco @ 16….because they are not mentally able to make responsible decisions.
NO ON VOTING @ AGE 16!!!!
I am beyond words. Please do not have 16 year olds voting. You would have trouble having them lookup from their phones. The majority would not even know who the governor is. Have we all lost our minds , they have trouble reading the book to get their drivers license. NO TO 16 yr old to VOTE !!!!!!!!!!
There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. That is a fault in society to assume wisdom is knowledge. Knowledge and information is readily available, but wisdom takes some experience and maturity. You can teach a 12 year old to drive a car, but you aren’t going to give him the car keys because you know they don’t have the wisdom to apply what they learned in context. Sixteen year olds are still learning to drive with knowledge and information, but the lack of wisdom costs in fender-benders. They don’t have the wisdom to make decisions regarding smoking and owning a gun. Their level of knowledge is not of a basic GED level and wisdom lags further behind. They may have knowledge and information, but why would we assume they have the wisdom to apply that knowledge in determining our next president when they lack the wisdom to make their own life decisions?
Please do not drop the age to vote to 16 yrs of age. 90% of 16yr olds do not even care about who’s running for various offices. Yes they can be bribed with promises of free stuff and they are too easily coached into making decisions based on those promises. If the government thought they were wise enough to vote, then the age to buy alcohol, cigarettes and handguns should be lowered to 16. “Gasp!” If you really believe 16 yr olds are wise enough to vote, then lower the age for those other items to 16!!
Do not allow 16 yr olds to vote.
Well 16 year olds don’t know what they want from moment to moment. They are easily manipulated by teachers , other family or friends who want them to follow what they say and do. I think the vote should be at 21, where at least they finally know their own minds!
I don’t even think 18 is old enough. At 18 I voted in a presidential election. I voted how my parents did. A few years later I would not have voted the way I did. I think you need to experience real life for awhile and not be under such strong influence of family, school and others. I’m also a proponent of raising the military age to 21.
I am a retired educator and counselor. In my experience, sixteen year olds are not mature enough to make an important voting decision for themselves. Our society, in general, is less mature at this age, than in the past. We have coddled our young people, and there is much reform needed in our education system, and higher education as well. I am against lowering the age to sixteen for many more reasons. Using common sense and wisdom will keep the voting age at 18.
Vicki, as a former educator your remarks would be valuable testimony. I hope you will send them to the email at the top of the post.
If there is even a chance of this being put in it should be voted on by the general public. Most parents will have a great deal to say about them voting at 16. I am a grandmother of teenagers who have been taught a great deal of responsibility, but I still do not feel that they are old enough to vote. Lets be real, they can’t join the service, drink, smoke, buy a gun because they are not responsible enough – voting is an even more serious issue. After seeing alot of the protests that go on in this town I don’t think some of the 25 year olds should be allowed to vote!
Any state senator or representative voting yes on such a ridiculous idea needs to be sent packing. If a child is deemed not able to smoke or drink until 21 yrs old, then they should not be able to vote or enlist until 21. Get your act together people!
Dear Legislators,
I believe that you do not give children everything they want. They have to earn it. This world is filled with self-entitled children, until they are deemed old enough to join the military and put their life on the line, with the possibility of losing said life, for their country, they do not deserves the right to vote. If they have to be 21 to drink and buy gun, they should not even be considered old enough to vote. I too was sixteen once, and remember it well. You are not mentally ready for the importance of casting a vote for representatives that can change your tax brackets and such, as they will always vote from their heart and not their brain.
Cheryl, I hope you sent your letter to the email address at the top of the post.
Absolutely not!!
Leave our youth alone and quit trying to weaponize them as political pawns!
It absolutely is mind blowing that anyone thinks they are adult enough for the responsibility of voting. Let them be children. They grow up soon enough.
On social media and web links almost every rational adult thinks this is one of the most stupid ideas ever thought of and the teenagers agree.
This is not a smart idea. Clearly it is the effort in this one-party state to hold onto power and shut off any opposing view. Now the ruling party will never have to sensibly debate ideas and issues. We all know why adding 16 year olds to the voting age will work in the ruling party’s favor!
I WORKED IN OREGON AS AN RN AND COULD NOT FIND 18 OR 19 YEARS OLDS TO WORK BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT PASS DRUG TESTS NOR READ , WRITE OR DO MATH AND YOU WANT 16 YEAR OLDS TO VOTE – NO NO NO!!!
THIS IS ALL FOR DEMOCRATIC VOTES AND IS VERY VERY WRONG TO DO THIS – 16 YEAR OLD CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO DO THIS IN OREGON.
TRY LOOKING INTO THE SCHOOLS AND FIND OUT WHY THE CHILDREN ARE NOT LEARNING AND STOP THROWING MONEY AT THE SCHOOLS YOU ARE TREATING THE SYMPTOMS AND NOT THE CAUSE!!! TIRED OF THE DEMOCRATS TAXING AND SPENDING OUR MONEY LIKE WATER TO DO NOTHING BUT DESTROY THE STATE .
NO TO YOUR ABSOLUTLY ABSURD 16 YEAR OLD VOTING!!!!
BARBARA HOPKINS RN
As others have said, 16 year olds are not ready to study the issues and learn about the candidates running for office. They are easily swayed, and I can see how teachers , who too often voice their political views in class, would get them to vote in a certain way.
Just as credit card companies used to get 18 year olds to sign up for a credit card by giving them food, t-shirts and other free items, I could see this happening to 16 and 17 year olds at high school. I don’t want a 16 year old voting on what taxes I should have to pay, or any other issue that doesn’t affect them. This is not a sensible idea at all, and I question why anyone would think that it is, and their motives.