In your view, what are the advantages and disadvantages of raising the legal voting age to increase civic engagement among young people?

Increasing the legal voting age is a contentious issue that has both potential benefits and drawbacks. This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this proposal with a focus on its impact on civic engagement among young people. On the positive side, raising the legal voting age could potentially lead to more informed and responsible voting. Young people are often criticized for their lack of political knowledge and experience, which can lead to uninformed voting decisions. By increasing the voting age, it is argued that voters will have had more time to educate themselves about the political landscape, thus making more informed decisions. Furthermore, this could stimulate civic engagement among young people as they may feel the need to prove their political maturity to gain voting rights. However, there are significant drawbacks to this proposal. Firstly, it could be seen as a form of age discrimination, denying young people their democratic rights. This could lead to feelings of disenfranchisement and disengagement from the political process. Secondly, it could discourage young people from participating in civic activities. If they are not allowed to vote, they may feel that their opinions are not valued and therefore be less likely to engage in other forms of civic participation. Moreover, it is important to note that political maturity does not necessarily correlate with age. There are many young people who are politically aware and engaged, and many older people who are not. Therefore, raising the voting age may not necessarily lead to more informed voting. In conclusion, while raising the legal voting age could potentially lead to more informed voting, it also risks disenfranchising young people and discouraging them from participating in civic activities. Therefore, it is crucial to find other ways to increase civic engagement among young people, such as improving political education in schools and encouraging youth participation in local community activities.