I think that there's a lot to be said for bundling suffrage with all the other rights and obligations that are unlocked when one turns 18 (in most countries). I am not convinced that it makes sense to have people vote on finance bills who cannot enter into many types of binding financial obligations under their own signature, to name just one example.

And before arguing that 16-yrs olds should enter into full citizenship, bear in mind that full citizenship includes such things as the right to enter into military service, the right to go into debt and a variety of other sharp, pointy corners of adult life that minors are currently protected from by virtue of their "citizen-lite" status.

It is certainly possible to make the case that 16-yrs-olds are sufficiently mature to handle the rights, risks and obligations the come with full citizenship. I am not convinced that the case is sound, but I'm not convinced that it's not either.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.