New Jersey was the first state to approve the Bill of Rights and to require climate change education. In 1790, it was the first state to legally enfranchise propertied women to vote. Now, the Garden State may be the first state to give 16- and 17-year-olds voting privileges in local elections.
The Newark City Council has already approved the idea of lowering the voting age for school elections. Governor Murphy has also been discussing the idea, most recently with Hoboken High School students and on WNYC during Ask Governor Murphy. Momentum is building across the state. Both the state senate and assembly have already introduced legislation that would lower the voting age for school elections. See the bills here: S-3240/A-4369.
Vote16USA is a national initiative organized by Generation Citizen that supports youth-led efforts to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds on the local level and promotes the issue nationally. The group hopes to capitalize on interest in the democratic process by advocating to extend voting rights to younger people. Elections for school board members, local elected leaders, and state representatives always include issues of particular concern to young people. Members of Vote16USA argue that expanding the right to vote will boost civic engagement, establish a lifelong habit of voting, and widen the discourse around topics that affect young people. They believe it will positively affect voting culture in the long term.
Rutgers University Professor Daniel Hart, a member of the Vote16USA advisory board, agrees. He is a professor of psychology whose research focuses on the development of civic competence, identity, personality, and morality, particularly among youth in urban areas. His interest in the issue centers on fairness and future civic involvement.
Professor Hart explains: ” Sixteen-year-olds know as much on average about their political systems and are as capable of voting rationally as those who are allowed to vote. Allowing sixteen-year-olds to vote will increase their civic interest and deepen respect for young Americans among politicians.”
Locally, students have always been active in sharing their values, including accolades and criticisms about local issues. This year, CGI students at Montclair High School put in hours of work to host an information panel to get to know the Board of Education candidates. Giving young people a chance not just to spread awareness about local issues but also directly influence outcomes may be the next big lesson and step in civic responsibility.
Ridiculous.
IDK. There is something very amusing to me to have student athletes voting on multi-million dollar school bond referendums – e.g. to install more artificial turf. They get two years of voting and move away…and don’t enjoy the benefit of the new fields. OK, they vote for their younger siblings!
I think I might have to vote YES just to watch the histrionics.
OMG, adding a thousand+ 16-17 yr olds would really expand the pool of potential signatories to place referendums on the ballot. Imagine the possibilities of a 16 year old’s mindset, their vision and their understanding of history! Imagine some Elon-type person comes along and offers then cash for votes. This signals a new, enlightened chapter in Montclair’s evolution.
The adolescent brain is not ready to make these decisions:
“Brain development is related to social experiences during adolescence.
Changes to the areas of the brain responsible for social processes can lead teens to focus more on peer relationships and social experiences. The emphasis on peer relationships, along with ongoing prefrontal cortex development, might lead teens to take more risks because the social benefits outweigh the possible consequences of a decision. These risks could be negative or dangerous, or they could be positive, such as talking to a new classmate or joining a new club or sport.”
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know#:~:text=The%20brain%20finishes%20developing%20and,prioritizing%2C%20and%20making%20good%20decisions.
“The adolescent brain is not ready to make these decisions”
This may be true of the general population, but Montclair adolescents mature faster and reach their full brain capacity around Junior year.
I voted YES!!!!
And if you set your bowser window to private mode, you could (but shouldn’t) vote multiple times. Stop the steal!