In a time when every vote seems to count, people are left asking whether minors who have jobs should be able to vote. While it is taxation without representation by definition, minors without jobs should not be able to vote.

Although it seems unfair that teens with jobs cannot vote, citizens have to realize that the voting age is 18 for a reason. The ability to vote is a question of maturity and whether the youth mind has developed enough to take a part in the election process. According to the University of Rochester, the rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until age 25 or so. In fact, recent research has found that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part. With the working age of 14, which is a little bit over half of the fully developed stage. If people this age were able to vote, it would not even be close to them voting at a fully matured level. While some teens may have the maturity to vote, statistics show that most are not ready to make decisions on this scale.

According to National Public Radio, critical parts of the brain involved in decision-making are not fully developed until years later at age 25 or so. If the human brain takes that long to develop then the chances of a human being able to handle the voting process at the age of 14 is very small. Also, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 25% of 14 year old have jobs.

As a person that engages in political discussions, one thing that is constantly heard is that because they are not of age to vote, politics do not matter to them.. Now how can we let someone who has small interests in politics make decisions that they know little about. I believe that is underage teens with jobs truly want to vote and care that much that they should apply and go through a vetting process in order to gain this right before they turn 18. I would support the having to pass the same test that an immigrant would have to pass in order to become a citizen. That test that ensures that the person in familiar with the American government and the history behind it.

It is also a belief of mine that working minors still should not be able to vote is because looking at the process of paying taxes and seeing what their money is going towards will help them for their opinions, so that they are closer to being fully developed when they reach the age to vote. The taxation process as a minor can teach a lot to a minor. As a minor working a smaller wage job, they have to pay Social Security Tax and the Medicare Tax. If the minor makes over $50,000 annually, then they have to pay the Federal Income Tax. This process may seem confusing to some and it may provide a learning opportunity that will inform the worker.

What they may learn from this process may help develop that individual’s political opinions. If they had been voting since they entered into the business world, they may be clueless about how this process works, and with taxes playing such a large part in our political/economical world, this is a topic that voters should be somewhat informed about. Learning this process takes time and adolescent teenagers already have a lot on their plate. So, no. Even if you are working, teens under 18 should not be able to vote.