Being able to vote has been a right ever since election existed, although, there were limitations of who are eligible to vote. Discrimination such as misogyny and anti-poor were rampant back in the days.

Fortunately, now that the word suffrage is living the same timeline as us, everyone can vote excluding the people who have not yet reached the standard age that enables them to vote. Young people’s minds are easy to twist as most of them are still unaware on how the world functions: politics, economics, psychology, etc. And at the case of the adults, they already have experience and their sights are no longer that blurry to see the reality—how their lives and the others’ are on their own hands. Voting must not be excluding those individuals that are already dealing with senior citizenship, unless they are struggling physically and mentally. As long as dementia, illiteracy, and the weakness of hearing has not yet reached their brains, casting a vote will not be difficult for them. For as long as they can voice their recommendation for resolution, they must not be prohibited to vote.

The elderly had been wandering the world for as long as we remember. Them being here for a longer period of time just proves the assertion, them knowing the world much better than the current ones. Meaning, they witnessed every issue the previous leaders had amidst the time they assisted each other to improve the country they are responsible of leading. For an instance, if we are discussing about awareness caused by the past, we will immediately think of those who experienced living in that certain period of time and the people who studied history. In courtesy of Nick Sacco’s article, The Reciprocal Relationship Between the Past and Present, he used Barack Obama as an example of repeatedly stating that his life as a politician was influenced by Abraham Lincoln, this goes in a two different but highly similar paths: Obama’s action especially on politics was influenced by Lincoln, whilst our perspective upon Lincoln is also influenced due to Obama’s commendation and his administration’s performance . The more a person possess a knowledge or a background information about a certain topic, the more influential this individual can be at a certain type of field. I’m neither saying that we shall let the older people decide on their own regardless the decision and choices they make are morally and politically incorrect, or must depend on what they are going to preach us.

Crabs first emerged more than 10 millenium ago. These species cease hitherto, as a matter of fact, they are considered edible and a delightful delicacy among those who already consumed them. What I’m trying to say here is despite of them being old-fashioned and outdated in trends just like the elderly, crabs are still beneficial. The crabs are the elderly, whilst their knowledges and experiences throughout several elections they had participated to are the crabs’ flesh—we digest them, we shall take them as a factor to consider when political decisions are being made.

Furthering things more, why do these people’s ages matter in terms of this crucial decision-making as if aging towards the finish line will make them care less about their environment? The future of the economy is in the hands of the majority, not allowing the elderly to vote is like lessening the chances of a better candidate achieving triumph and the opportunity to develop the country faster than a cheetah. You, me, and everyone surrounding you will get older as well. Are they afraid of old little me? As for me, I cannot fathom the fact that a right will be taken away from me just because I’m old—like the fiend taking something important from me in exchange of something that is too bad, it may be true.

One vote means a lot. Let us take the following American elections as basis: Samuel Tiden lost to Rutherford Hayes with just a vote gap (1876); the Maine, Rhode Island, and North Dakota’s governors were elected with just an average of one vote per precinct (1962); with just a 94 votes being a gap of Connecticut’s 2nd U.S. Congressional seat, Joe Courtney lost to Rob Simmons (2006). 

Some may assume that their own votes do not matter as they are barely the 1% of the hundred percent. However, it is just not one who thinks that way. Hence, we have to encourage everyone to vote wisely and to provide each human being their voices to speak their concerns up. A vote affects a whole land’s future. During the first quarter of 2024, the Philippines have been dealing with issues the predecessor president left after his regime. The Government of the Philippines and The Government of the People’s Republic of China, as well as its jurisdiction, are infamously fighting over a mineral-rich body of water located between the Western part of the Philippines and the Southern of China for as long as we all remember. At the quarter beginning of April, another problem had been faced by the Philippine Government: Philippine President Marcos Jr. shared his enraging feelings towards his discovery of former President Duterte crafting a gentleman agreement (the act of prohibition of sending repair materials to the WWII BRP Sierra Madre resting at the Second Thomas Shoal) with China which was said to be unwritten during his administration. As a Filipino myself, I am highly disappointed and angry with another outrageous movement of this person. This is an example that a vote really matters. Even a single vote can pull a country’s future down to the earth’s core.

There are literal legislations enacted that states the right to vote and to elect has been granted to us ever since we opened our eyes to the world, the first time we saw our parents without being able to remember how. Swindling the rights granted to each one of us is a form of violation of human rights. We have the Universal Declaration of Human Rights approving a law regarding the rights mentioned. The act does not exclude anyone but children to cast their very own decisions. Therefore, enabling a mental phenomenon against the voting rights by putting an age limit especially upon those who had reached the age of seniority must not be supported. Revoking the legitimacy of each one’s right such as evading suffrage is already perceived as an action an outlaw would execute.

The more you live in this world is in equilibrium with the knowledge you have stored in you. Most old people find their demises at the ages 70, some exceed the mentioned number, some doesn’t even reach it. However, their old ages (except the disease their ages might bring them) will not serve as a wall halting them to voice their rights out especially when they are aware of what could happen if this person was casted the most votes. As we all know, most political candidates repeatedly run for a position in the government. We, the youth, will never know the actual experiences of the elderly through the internet as the journalists cannot possibly cover every person who lived under someone’s regime. Some older people may have encountered good exposure at a certain leadership, some may have suffered from it. Therefore, their responses towards the candidates must be heard and shown at the votes’ statistics. It is crucial for experiences to be a factor for reconsidering, influencing, and voting. Just like a specie that provides several benefits for us, not only the elderly can tell-tale us the lives the undergo, but they can also help us voice out for whatever we think is proper. I cannot also see the point why this question has to exist when there is literally a law regarding it. What happened to human rights? What should have been given shall not be taken. Let the mankind decide for their own sake as they can teach each other to think morally straight, no one wishes for their homeland to become the next Statue of Zeus at Olympia.