NJ teens amplify fight to vote at 16 in some races
NEWARK — An effort in New Jersey to lower the voting age for certain races is about to get an army of supporters.
Gov. Phil Murphy and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka will be on hand for a Saturday event that's rallying youth to advocate for a lower voting age in New Jersey school board elections.
Advocates want the legal voting age to be lowered from 18 to 16. The aim is to give teens more of a voice in deciding who gets to make moves that directly impact them.
The Vote 16 Youth Summit is running from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Rutgers—Newark, equipping young people from across New Jersey with the tools needed to advocate for lowering the voting age.
The event will feature panel discussions and workshops. Murphy and Baraka are scheduled to present special remarks to the participants.
New Jersey legislation introduced in May would permit 16- and 17-year-olds to cast a vote in local school board elections. If the bill were to become law, it would take effect on Jan. 1.
No state has such a rule in place.
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"We think that if you start voting younger ... you're more likely to become a lifelong voter," Micauri Vargas, associate counsel at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, told New Jersey 101.5 in May. "We see a lot of disengagement, particularly in young demographics."
In January, Newark became the first municipality in New Jersey to make the move on their own. Voter registration for teens will begin on Feb. 1, 2025 for Newark's school board election in April.
Also in January, Murphy signed a bill that says, beginning in 2026, 17-year-olds can vote in a primary election as long as they're supposed to turn 18 in time for the general election.
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