Jonathan Bernstein, Columnist

Let Teenagers Vote

If they can organize marches, lobby legislators and support candidates, why not? Plus, Jonathan Bernstein's morning links.

February 21, 2018 at 2:39 PM UTC

By Jonathan Bernstein

Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics. A former professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio, he wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.

Let them rally, let them vote.
Photographer: Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images

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Joshua Douglas argues that the Parkland students organizing against gun violence are a great demonstration of why 16- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote. See his recent law review article here.

This is one of my longtime hobbyhorses, and so I certainly agree. Indeed, I'd go lower, setting the voting age at 13 or 14, although I'm open to arguments for making it a bit higher or lower. Sixteen, however, is to me an easy call.