Lowering Voters’ Age: A Step Towards Youth Empowerment in South America

The year 2012 marked a turning point in Argentina’s history, as its National Congress made a historic decision towards strengthening democracy. Almost unanimously, they lowered the voting age, allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to participate in political processes1. This decision started the path of not just one, but thousands of future political leaders who, from a young age, will have made their voices heard.

Lowering the voting age represents a step forward in the constant search for universalizing the right to vote. At first, this right was reserved for privileged males, however, over the years the requirements were considered precarious and subsequently modified in favor of women, racial minorities, and even young people2. Nowadays, there is a global debate about whether the conventional voting age of 18 years should be labeled as obsolete. While most States are still deliberating, some South American countries have made significant progress in this regard. As mentioned, Argentina, together with Ecuador and Brazil, are among the minority States that have successfully implemented this reform3, while the remaining countries of the region face the consequences of not doing so.

South America has a unique opportunity to expand democracy and set an example for the rest of the world by standardizing a lower voting age. Despite facing challenges associated with its underdevelopment, South America has a strong tradition of youth involvement in politics through protests and activism. By lowering the voting age young people would be empowered to take an active role on political issues, while creating a strong generation of leaders. All sectors of society deserve representation by their rulers, and underage people, excluded from voting, feel disconnected from their governors. This leads to political apathy, a phenomenon seen in today’s world. The development of a future generation active in politics is the only way to combat it, and this can be achieved by giving young people suffrage. It is essential to analyze precedents where voting age was lowered, and where it has not, with emphasis on ensuring young people can re-engage with politics. South America, rather than a place of trial and error, has the potential of being seen as innovative and committed to democracy. 

Following Argentina’s case, the “Voto Joven” (Youth Vote) law went into effect for the 2013 legislative elections. However, only 20% of young people participated4, allowing critics to label the initiative as a failure. This situation made the Argentine Government realize that if they wanted to see results in youth turnout, the effort needed to extend beyond a mere law. On one hand, the national Undersecretariat for Political Affairs recognized youth vote as a fundamental human right, partnering with other national and sub-national institutions to promote young people’s interests on public affairs5. The objective was to reduce the participation gap between 16 to 17-year-olds and all other voters. After five electoral processes, a peak of 63% youth turnout was registered, as a result of the aforementioned efforts6. This led, on the other hand, to international organizations supporting the youth vote because of its positive impact. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), for example, has promoted lowering the voting age on a global scale through dialogue and recommendations to States7. Furthermore, UNICEF has launched campaigns encouraging young Argentines to vote, reinforcing the government’s initiatives8. “Voto Joven” has been successful in lowering the voting age, and other States can learn from this example and implement similar policies to benefit their citizens.

In recent years, South America has seen an increase in protests with socio-political causes, with young people as the main protagonists. In contrast with previous generations, most people have the right to freedom of expression, which they use to voice dissatisfaction with their governments. One of the most known protests was the Chilean Winter in 2011, where students demanded an improvement in public education. They organized strikes, occupied schools and universities, and blocked roads9. Unlike people of voting age, who can express their views through ballots, young Chileans could only protest. Their only option was to stay in the streets until the government responded, at all costs. The government implemented the requested changes and budget increase, however, the damage had already been done. The massive amount of injured caused many young people to become both fearful and unmotivated to participate in protests10. These events distance underaged people from politics, when the opposite should be the case. Young people should be encouraged to participate in democratic processes. Giving them the opportunity to vote is a way to develop their interest in public issues while reducing the risks usually associated with protests. Although more protests in Chile arose many years later with the 2019 social outburst, these were not entirely motivated by students, compared to what happened in 2011. The Chilean Winter is just one of several cases of youth fighting for their interests, and they should be taken seriously.

Despite the reasons outlined above there is opposition to lowering the voting age, based on three main points. Firstly, critics argue that young people lack sufficient academic knowledge and comprehension of the national issues and candidates to make informed decisions when voting. However, this argument is flawed as young people are the main users of social media apps such as Twitter, where 66% of the content consumed is about politics11.  In addition, voting does not require professional qualifications and it is a fundamental right in a democratic society. Secondly, some argue young people are not interested in politics and may be manipulated by adults. Nonetheless, this position ignores the many protests and movements organized by underaged people, such as the Chilean Winter. Moreover, studies have shown young people are capable of forming better-informed opinions than older generations on topics such as human rights and climate change, as they have more access to information12. Critics also argue young people have not experimented political decisions, and therefore do not understand the impact of voting. However, it is important to understand that politics affect everyone, including young people, and they should have a say in shaping their future. With proper education and campaigns, young people can understand the implications of their choices. Finally, critics say lowering voting age would worsen the situation in imperfect democracies. Yet, leaders have started to recognize the importance of youth participation, as recently seen in Chile’s Constitutional Convention debate, where both left and right-leaning groups agreed on the necessity of empowering young people13. “Voto Joven” is a demonstration of how developing countries can seek improvements on their electoral systems to move in this direction.

Lowering the voting age to 16 is a crucial step towards strengthening democracy and promoting the participation of young people in political processes. The benefits of youth voting are clear, as it allows them to participate in decisions that will influence their future in a direct way. While critics argue that young people lack sufficient knowledge, interest, or life experience, these arguments are flawed. In the era of information, young people are the main consumers of the internet, and it is inevitable to be a stranger to the political situation. Underaged people fight for their interests, as seen in the Chilean Winter. Argentina’s success in lowering voters’ age should serve as an example of an integrated strategy that not only focuses on reform but ensures the measures are effective. The support from international organizations is also functional for promoting youth vote throughout the world. By standardizing a lower voting age, South America can set an example for the rest of the world. It is time for governments to recognize the potential of young people and give them a voice in the decisions that will shape their future. 

Sources

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-20164573

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https://www.carnegie.org/our-work/article/voting-rights-timeline/

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https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/legal-voting-age-by-country.html

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https://www.argentina.gob.ar/interior/subsecretaria-de-asuntos-politicos/voto-joven

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https://changingchildhood.unicef.org/stories/free-to-be-young

1. UNICEF. (2021, August 6). Activistas de UNICEF visitan a jóvenes para hablar de voto joven. Retrieved from

https://www.unicef.org/argentina/comunicados-prensa/activistas-unicef-anmisita-voto-joven-2021

1. El Soberano. (2019, August 27). Chile: el invierno estudiantil. Retrieved from https://www.elsoca.org/index.php/mundo/internacionales/2096-chle-el-invierno-estudiantil

1. Ojo Público (2020, November 16). Un memorial a los adolescentes y jóvenes muertos en las protestas. Retrieved from

   https://ojo-publico.com/4045/un-memorial-los-adolescentes-y-jovenes-muertos-las-protestas

1. Twitter (2019, September 5). Twitter es la red donde la información política tiene mayor relevancia en Argentina. Blog. Retrieved from

https://blog.twitter.com/es_es/topics/insights/2019/twitter-es-la-red-donde-la-informacion-politica-tiene-mayor-rele

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1. Cooperativa Chile (2022). Nueva Constitución: Voto voluntario para jóvenees de 16 y 17 años, obligatorio desde lo 18. Retrieved from

https://cooperativa.cl/noticias/pais/politica/constitucion/nueva-constitucion-voto-voluntario-para-jovenes-de-16-y-17-anos/2022-05-06/185308.html