Let me vote, says 17-year-old

I am completely in favor of letting all 17-year-olds vote in not only primaries, but in the November national election as well.

I am a 17-year-old junior in high school, and I think that many people would be surprised to find the level of excitement and knowledge that 17-year-olds have for politics.

My AP American Government class, for instance, has frequently analyzed and discussed the various political candidates' campaigning that is currently occurring throughout the nation. It is somewhat discouraging, therefore, that my fellow students and I, who are arguably concerning ourselves with the elections more than the average American, were not able to vote on Super Tuesday and will not able to vote in November.

Arguments that claim 17-year-olds are not old enough to vote are simply unfounded. Seventeen-year-olds found breaking the law are old enough to warrant adult penalties for crimes they commit, and most people at age 17 have a firm understanding of how each politician, if elected, will affect their own lives and their parents' lives.

Although not all 17-year-olds desire the privilege to vote, granting this right would still give 17-year-olds who do concern themselves with politics a chance to have a say in who the leaders of our country are.

Ryan Diefenderfer

Mundelein