# FILE NAME: 00001652.soc
# TITLE: Should we raise the voting age to 18? [4642893957545fd3d9ada9458aba8e8c]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 4
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - The age of voting should be raised to 18, rather than being lowered. This is because young people have a great potential to sway elections and their views are often influenced by their parents or peers. At 18, they are more likely to be mature enough to make more well-rounded and balanced decisions.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - It was agreed by the group that the voting age should not be lowered but raised to 18. It was decided that 18 was the best age for young people to vote because this was the legal age of adulthood. Some people said that a few extra years would allow young people to make more informed and balanced decisions and would make for a more authentic result. This view was a popular view in the group and was therefore agreed to. It was agreed that there was a likelihood that young people would be influenced by their parents or peers. In conclusion, it was agreed that it was more important to be able to make a more mature and well-rounded decision. It was also noted that young people have a great potential to sway elections and this would be less likely at an older age.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - It was agreed that the voting age should not be lowered but raised to 18. It was decided that 18 was the best age for young people to vote because this was the legal age of adulthood. Some people said that a few extra years would allow young people to make more informed and balanced decisions and would make for a more authentic result. Some other people said that it was unlikely that votes under 18 would be unduly influenced by their peers and parents. In conclusion, it was agreed that it was more important to be able to make a more mature and well-rounded decision. It was also noted that young people have a great potential to sway elections and this would be less likely at an older age. Some people, however, suggested that it was important to engage this age group in the political process earlier in order to show them that politics isn't boring.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - We agree that the voting age should be raised to 18. We agree that 16 year olds were not mature enough to form well-rounded opinions. Additionally, this would result in a more authentic view. Furthermore, this would mean that people would less likely be swayed by their peers and family. The higher age would mean that they would have more of a well-rounded view of the political landscape. In this way, their vote would be less likely to change and be based on emotional or personal reasons. Therefore, we agree that the voting age should be raised to 18. Group Exercise #2 Background: This was a group writing task. A group of participants were tasked with coming up with a consensus opinion on an important question. Below is presented the question, the opinion of each individual participant, the first draft of a consensus statement, the critiques of the draft consensus statement by the participants, and the final consensus statement reached after much deliberation.
2: 2,1,3,4
1: 3,2,4,1
1: 4,3,2,1
1: 3,2,1,4