The mental gymnastics: >lowering the voting age would help young people build a habit of voting and make them more likely to continue being politically engaged later in life. >We don't apply a maturity index to the right to vote for any other age >Having the opportunity to vote is what gives our 16- and 17-year-olds a chance to engage meaningfully. Ah ha. What it does, is give meaningful ways to cheat on outcomes that can be easily hidden. >it's unfair that teenagers can have adult responsibilities and play active roles in society but don't have a say in public life Life is intrinsically unfair. >Young people are working, paying taxes, ... When it comes to making a decision as to who's going to represent them, that has been denied to them." There's a reason young people can't vote: their minds are easily fooled. Adult minds are bad enough. But this has nothing to do with keeping society running, but keeping criminals in control.