Several weeks ago, I wrote an article titled “Lower the Voting Age” where I advocated for the federal government to lower the minimum voting age from 18 to 16. While such a change may seem like an abstract idea, it is in fact an effort that is being made, both locally and nationally. These are efforts that should be applauded and supported. A push for increased youth participation in the electoral process quite simply helps to strengthen democracy.
On the local level, some places inside the United States have already made the decision to lower the voting age. One example is Brattleboro, Vermont. In this town, there was tremendous support for the issue, where they “pass[ed] the charter change locally in 2019 with almost 70% of voters in favor.” The legislator in Vermont approved the charter change on two separate occasions, and both times the governor vetoed the bill, until his second veto was overridden. “Proponents of the bills argue that it’s simply about democracy,” and the town that would be impacted was clearly in favor of such a change. Rio Daims, a climate activist from Brattleboro, argues that “we are a country built on the foundation of ‘no taxation without representation.’ When I was 16 I started working, so this felt really close to home in that way.” What Battleboro shows is that there is support for such a change, and it is not out of the realm of possibility.
This possibility is seen on the national level. Representative Grace Meng of New York introduced House Joint Resolution 16 which is “proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States extending the right to vote to citizens sixteen years of age or older.” What this resolution does is quite simple, it repeals the 26th Amendment and replaces it with a lower voting age. As it stands, the 26th Amendment states that “The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age,” and that “The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” This resolution would replace the existing amendment with one that gives 16-year-olds the right to vote. With this as a part of the Constitution, it would guarantee such a right at the federal level.
Unfortunately, making a change to the Constitution is a complex process, and is difficult to achieve. To start the amendment process “An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress, or, if two-thirds of the States request one, by a convention called for that purpose.” In this case, the resolution would need to be passed by two-thirds of both the senate and the house of representatives, something that is not an easy feat. After that “The amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called in each State for ratification.” This is a long and difficult process, which is why in the hundreds of years of the U.S.’s existence, there have not been many amendments to the Constitution. But like many of the amendments, this effort is worth the time and effort to ensure that this right is protected in the best way possible, by making it a part of the Constitution.
That being said, this is a worthy effort, and there are many organizations who are proponents of this change. These include the National Youth Rights Association and Vote 16 USA. Local success for such a change indicates that it is possible, it just takes time and the support of people who understand how lowering the voting age can be beneficial for democracy. Not only could many more Americans vote, but as I mentioned in my last article, it would allow people to vote before they experience major life changes such as going to college. Furthermore, having students start voting while they are still in high school would allow the curriculum to support the process and educate these younger voters. Not to mention the fact that 16 and 17-year-olds have a lot longer to live, and are going to be impacted by the decisions that our country makes. They are stakeholders in our country, and deserve to have their voices heard. That is something that can only be made possible by a push to change the voting age.