No Vote, No

Voice, No Say
for Working
Teens
Isabell Roop
1
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................3
History.............................................................4
Solutions..........................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................6
Bibliography.....................................................7
Biography........................................................8
 Teen’s Cry
The cries of the teen workforce plague the deaf ears of
politicians. Teens work at an early age and experience
great privileges in America, yet the right to vote before the
age of 18 eludes these young people. The valuable years
between the working age and the voting age leave a great
chasm of time for adolescents, because these years of
silence create a void that is irretrievable. Teens forfeit their
contribution to the political realm, but their contribution, to
the system in which they exist, profits through the taxation
of wages. In essence, teens contribute financially to a “ Taxation without
representation isn’t
government that gives them no political say in return. The
problem originates as a conflict between taxation and
the voting age and spills over to a slowed evolutionary
voting right progression. Therefore, in order to provide illegal, but it is highly
teens of the working class an opportunity to participate in
politics, the voting age needs lowered to age 16 through
hypocritical. ”
Abby Chapman
reforms in legislation, education, and the implementation Writer for The Franklin Post
of standardized tests. These three parts, in combination,
are key to unlocking the doors to the future, because a
mute teen makes no impact on a government that needs
hearing aids.
For working teens, the issue of taxation without
representation strikes an audible chord. The founding
principles of the United States take a stand of no taxation
without representation. Yet, teens work as early as
fourteen years old, create taxable income, file income
taxes, and escape the right to vote (Chapman). They
support a system and garner no voting benefits. According
to The Franklin Post, “Taxation without representation isn’t
illegal, but it is highly hypocritical” (Chapman). Therefore,
the off-balanced system needs readjusting to account for
the working teens.
3
 Voting Rights
1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965
voided all efforts by state and local governments
to deny voting privileges based on race and color.
Progressing forward, the Vietnam War was a wake-
up call to Congress. Teens, aged 18 to 21, were able
to fight and die in a war around the globe, but they
were not able to take on the responsibilities of adults
and vote (Astor).
2019 Legislators hear the cries of
working teens that desire to lower the voting
age to 16. “In 2019, 125 members of Congress
supported such a move at the federal level”
(Silbaugh 255). Lowering the age to 16 receives
applause from Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of House
with regard to a local ballot initiative in San
Francisco (Silbaugh 255).

1868 In 1868, the Fourteenth 1971 The United States Constitution,

Amendment permitted men, over the age of 21, the
right to vote. Voting rights also hinged on American
citizenship. Nearly two years later, the Fifteenth
Amendment extended the right to vote to all races
(Lessane). The Amendment states, “The right of
citizens of the United States to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United States or by any
State on account of race, color, or previous condition
of servitude” (Bromberg 1105).
amended in 1971, changed the voting age from
21 to 18 through the Twenty-Sixth Amendment.
Although, these changes reflect an evolutionary
process, an exceptionally slow progression
remains evident in the last fifty years.
2019 A global youth climate strike in
September of 2019 demonstrated the ability of youth
to work internationally on future-directed activism.
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement engages
young adults in political lobbying, though it is less
frequently cited when marshaling arguments for the
youth franchise, as its events are often portrayed
in the media as spontaneous and stochastic rather
than strategic examples of an earned political voice.

4
Solutions
Voting education classes, offered in the early high school
years, allow an open door for teens to explore the voting
world. According to the National Centers for Education
Statistics, states require high school students to complete
two to four credits in social studies for graduation (Snyder
and Dillon). Hence, voting classes incorporated in
these defined areas create a perfect fit. For consistency
purposes, course requirements and guidelines must meet
specific standards of the local and state school boards and
align with federal procedures. Hands on experience with
a voting ballot and machine, coupled with mock elections,
provide further training and hopefully stimulate interest.
The required class equips teens for the voting privilege and
promotes growth and development. A passing grade allows
the student to move on to the next step in the process.
The next step in the solution involves standardized
testing. Standardized testing implementation provides a
means to determine the comprehension of voters. Teens,
who desire the right to vote, test on their knowledge of
voting policies, procedures, and the election process.
Katharine Silbaugh, from the Boston University of Law,
alludes to the fact that teens can drive at age 16 after
passing a series of written and practical examinations
(253). In the same manner, teens desiring voting
privileges test in order to demonstrate their knowledge
of voting and the electoral system. Today, schools offer
classes for students to excel in standardized testing.
This outlet would give teens an additional option for
training if teens are not in enrolled in a traditional school
or homeschool setting. A passing grade completes the
process and allows the 16-year-old teen the right to vote.

5
 Vote
In conclusion, the voting age needs
lowered to age 16 through reforms
in legislation, education, and the
implementation of standardized tests.
Teens are speaking out on political
matters and now is the time to move
forward. Legislators hear the chatter
and many strive to change the laws.
The solution is feasible, yet the
process is tedious, challenging, and
requires cooperation from all levels of
government starting at the local level.
Teachers and educational institutions
have their work cut out for them.
However, the rewards and hard work
will benefit and strengthen society as a
whole, because the voices of 16-year-
old voters will be heard.

Click Here to Register to Vote.

6
 Bibliography
Astor, Maggie. “16-Year-Olds Want a Vote. Fifty Years Ago, So Did 18-Year Olds.” The
New York Times, 19 May 2019.

Bromberg, Yael. “Youth Voting Rights and the Unfulfilled Promise of the Twenty-Sixth
Amendment.” University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law, vol. 21,
no. 5, pp. 1105-1165, May 2019.

Chapman, Abby. “Taxation Without Representation: How Minors are Being Robbed
and America’s Core Ideals are Being Betrayed.” The Franklin Post, 28 Feb.
2019.

Court, Emma. “Lower Voting Age Gains Traction in Some Cities; Activists Push for
16-Year-Old Threshold for Local Elections.” Dow Jones Industrial News, 20 Nov.
2015, ProQuest.

Lessane, Patricia W. “The 15th Amendment and the Black Vote, or the Lack Thereof |
Commentary.” Baltimore Sun, 03 Feb. 2020.

Milligan, Susan. “States Want Voters to Start Young.” U.S. News – The Report, June
2018, pp. 21-23.

Silbaugh Katharine, “Developmental Justice and the Voting Age.” Fordham Urban Law
Journal, vol. 47, no. 2, 2020, pp. 253-292. EBSCOhost.

Simpson, Brian. “Give Children the Vote! -The Case for Lowering the Voting Age-”Alter-
native Law Journal, vol. 18, no. 4, 1993, pp. 190–191. HeinOnline.

Snyder, Thomas D. and Sally A. Dillon. “Digest of Education Statistics.” National Cen-
ter for Education Statistics, 2013

Tousignant, Marylou. “More cities consider letting 16-year-olds vote in local elections.”
The Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2020.

Wagner, Markus et al. “Voting at 16: Turnout and the quality of vote choice.” Electoral
Studies, vol. 31, no. 2, 2012, pp. 372-383. ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.elect-
stud.2012.01.007.

Wood, Maria. “Should the Voting Age be Lowered Again?” New Jersey State Bar Foun-
dation, 16 Jan. 2020.

7
Isabell J. Roop
I am a sophomore at Marshall
University, majoring in biological
science and minoring in chemistry
and marketing with a concentration
in dentistry on the pre-med track
in hopes of one day becoming an
orthodontist. I am a very optimistic,
hard working, and passionate
human being who is very church
and family oriented. In my free time,
I enjoy hiking with my two dogs,
traveling, and exploring new places.
I have enjoyed my time at Marshall
University, and I can hardly await
the adventure and excitement of
these next few years.