All stereotypes aside, not all teenagers are solely interested in video games and bad music. Some of them are interested in video games, bad music (I kid, I kid…) — and voting. Here in Washington, the local chapter of the National Youth Rights Association is working on lowering the state’s voting age to 16.
Our country is founded on the concept of no taxation without representation,” 17-year-old Heather Kelley told the House Government Operations and Accountability Committee. “Eighty percent of teens work, yet we have no say on how those taxes are being spent.”
For Olympia High School student Kelley, as well as fellow Olympia seniors Kehlen Sachet and Jason Puz, also 17, what began as a class project last fall has gained enough momentum to become a bill in the Legislature.
[…]
In Washington, the students’ arguments caught the attention of Rep. Sam Hunt, D-Olympia. He ended up sponsoring the bill after the students visited his office a couple of months ago.
“They gave a reasoned, well-researched presentation on why they thought it was a good idea,” Hunt said.
The state constitution would have to be amended to change the voting age. Amending the constitution requires two-thirds approval from both houses of the Legislature before the issue heads to voters.
At the federal level, the U.S. Constitution originally defined the voting age as 21, among a slew of other qualifications. The passage of the 26th Amendment in 1971 lowered the age to 18.
States are prohibited from raising the age, but there are no restrictions on lowering it, according to the state’s Office of Program Research.
Nifty! I certainly don’t have any issues with this — if they’re actually interested enough to participate and vote, I see no reason why they shouldn’t be able to.
“Something Fast” by Sisters of Mercy, The from the album Vision Thing (1990, 4:37).