IT is now 40 years since the voting age was lowered to 18.
Years ago, people fought to vote – it was seen as a privilege.
But an Examiner poll shows that, today, young people feel they know too little about politics to bother voting.
It is not that these young people are unintelligent and many of them do care about the issues of the day.
But they clearly have not been given any guidance about voting or politics – probably because even the older generation are now largely apathetic, believing all the major parties are too similar to choose between.
But we shouldn’t forget that our vote is what holds politicians to account – if we bother to use it.
We are lucky. In some countries, people can only dream of democracy.
So, we must ensure our younger generation appreciate their votes.
It is down to teachers and parents to ensure they have at least basic education in politics and voting.
Then it is down to the young people themselves to sit up, take an interest and head for the ballot box.
