Teens demand right to contest local elections
16-year-olds demand right to contest local elections following decision to lower voting age to 16.
3 August 2013, 12:00am
James J. Piscopo
James J. Piscopo
2 min read
Teenagers participating in a Vote 16 debate organised by the National Youth Council today demanded that apart from being granted the right to vote in Local Council elections, 16-year-olds should also be allowed to contest local elections.
Moreover, the youths participating in the debate called on Parliament to extend the right to vote to 16-year-olds to the European Parliament elections and the general elections.
A number of teenagers who spoke to MaltaToday said that granting the right to vote to 16-year-olds " should not be viewed as an experiment" and that the right to vote should be extended to all elections.
16 and 17 year olds constitute 4.5% of the electorate and the legislation lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 in local elections is expected to be approved by Parliament in November.
Dismissing arguments that 16-year-olds were not mature enough to contest local elections, the teenagers stressed that maturity is not measured by age and said "it should be left to the electorate to decide whether candidates are mature or not."
“16-year old candidates will bring the much needed positive change. Apart from raising the turnout, it will further encourage the concept of active citizenship already at an early change," they said.
On his part, parliamentary secretary for culture and local government José Herrera called for caution and said "voting for Parliament, the country's highest institution, makes the general election vote more solemn."
Pointing out that he had no electoral mandate to grant the right to 16-year-olds to contest local elections and vote in all other elections, Herrera underlined the historic significance of extending the vote to 16-year-olds in local elections. “This is part of a historic process and lowering the voting age to 16 is the next step. While I’m aware there is still some scepticism, currently 16-year olds already have to take important decisions, including which career path to take,” Herrera noted.
Nationalist MP Robert Cutajar reiterated the Opposition's backing to extending the vote to 16-year-olds and in contrast to the parliamentary secretary stance, called for a national discussion on granting 16-year-olds the right to contest local elections.
“The party that started the concept of local councils and strengthened them during the years will definitely not hinder or oppose the needed reform. But the government should not make unnecessary haste just to lower the voting age in time for the 20th anniversary of the local councils” the former Mellieħa mayor concluded.
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OK. So you want to be elected. But in that case you must also accept that you shall be considered as fully criminally respnsible and liable at 16 and not at 18 years as the law presently provides. If a person under 18 is elected and does something criminally wrong s/he is not considered fully criminally responsible and would escape justice with a lower punishment. This is also the result of giving children a lot of rights without explaining to them that every right also carries a corresponding obligation, which is why we have so many irresponsible arrogant yobs today.
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teans voting is fine but to contest elections? you must be kidding.
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Teens are always demanding something or other and any parent can attest to that. One question: Would you trust your family possessions in the hands of your sixteen year old teenager? Of course not. I have nothing against sixteen year olds and many of them are responsible teenagers but to trust the fate of a town or a city in their hands? Think again. If the political parties need to lure in more votes they should look for it someplace else and let the teenagers enjoy their teen years. At that age these teens have enough to keep them busy with their education, studies and homework etc. Most children do not mature until they reach the age of eighteen and most of them much later. let young teens enjoy their youth as they should and leave politics out of their lives.
Priscilla Darmenia •
If a 16 year old is considered old enough to elect a representative, he should also considered old enough to represent.
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I think we are overdoing it. What comes next, teenagers and pre-teens in Parliament and infants being given the right to vote?
As for the statement by teenagers that maturity is not measured by age, this might be true in some cases (there are people who never learn) but, in general, maturity is the result of age and experience, and what most of these kids are exhibiting is nothing more than immature presumptuousness.
I feel I am expressing a majority opinion when I say that 18 is the right voting age.
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If a national consensus is reached amongst all parties involved, including the general public, the PS should not be seen as opposing the idea of allowing 16 year olds to contest the elections, any election for that matters. It is than, obviously, the onus of the electorate to judge their eligibility status or otherwise. One needs to remember that it is thanks to Joseph Muscat and the PL that this issue is on the national agenda. The PN never acted on it and now seems that they want to take the credit. However, these youths should be grateful and do not act as toddlers. They should not expect to start running when they have not even started walking, figuratively speaking of course.
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Sure 16 year olds should contest all elections including EP elections but they must promise that, if elected, they will not collect signatures against Malta as this is xokkanti & a great arukaza. Maybe immigrants too should contest & become MPs in Malta's parliament & president of Malta and Archbishops. Why not?
