Porterville Reporter Editorial

Editor's Notebook: Interest of voter should count, not age

By David Arkin, The Porterville Recorder

Late night talk show hosts have had a good time this week poking fun at a Florida plan that could allow people even younger than 18 to vote.

That's right, people in Florida would only have to be 16 to vote in Florida - a state that botched the 2000 presidential election - if a plan from a 15-year-old energetic girl gets through the channels.

I read about the girl's plan while in Florida this week. I'm here in Boca Raton at a Freedom Communications conference - I know, I live a tough life.

The girl, Miranda Rosenberg, hopes to introduce a ballot initiative where voters would decide about lowering the voting age to 16 for local and state elections.

The Palm Beach Post reported this week that Miranda decided to push the idea after having money from her paycheck deducted for Social Security. She says if someone has money taken from their check, they should then be able to vote.

She answered all of the newspaper's questions with intelligent responses. The paper said, "Teenagers would just elect a singer in a boy band or a movie star." She said, "who elected Ronald Reagan and Sonny Bono."

True.

She told The Post that the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution doesn't mention citizens under 18 when it addresses those who have a right to vote. The law gives states the option to lower the age to vote.

It looks like she has the support of the courts. A judge wrote that states have the option to set qualifications for local and state elections. They couldn't touch federal elections, but they could make a change to other elections.

She has to first get 489,000 signatures, from those who are older than 18.

If she can actually get all of those signatures, the issue would be put before voters in 2004 or 2006.

It's quite a project for a high school student to take on, but Miranda should be applauded for her effort, even if the measure fails. And she should surely get extra credit in a history or government class for her work.

What do you think Porterville? Should those who are 16 be able to vote or would it turn elections into a laughing matter?

Here's a thought to chew on.

Voting turnout numbers are so bad, would it really hurt to allow some younger folks the opportunity to use their voice?

What if teens actually improved voter turnout numbers?

You say it couldn't happen. Why not?

Sure, not all teens are as excited about the opportunity to vote as Miranda. However, that doesn't mean there aren't some who wouldn't have interest in the opportunity.

Younger people should be able to vote - not because they get taxed - but because if someone has an interest in the election process and they have received the education in school that would provide them the knowledge needed to vote, how could Americans possibly turn those people away?

For some reason, we recognize people being adults and ready for things like war when they are 18. But let's be honest here, are there not some 16 year-olds who are also probably ready for the real world?

And those are the people who would be likely to stand in long lines to vote.

Getting more people to the polls isn't a bad thing, even if some of those people aren't 18.

I say, go for it Miranda. That's a lot of signatures you need to get, but I think all of us can look at your example as a good one to follow, no matter what our age might be.

David Arkin is the editor of The Porterville Recorder. He can be reached at 784-5000 Ext. 1040 or by e-mail at David_Arkin@link.freedom.com