Current Events > 16- and 17-Year-Olds Win Right to Vote in Local Elections in Vermont Town

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https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/future-now-16-17-year-olds-win-vote-107673669

A Vermont town has acted on the notion that young voters offer hope for the future, giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote next week in local elections. Those who turn 18 by the November general election will be permitted to vote in the state's presidential primaries on Super Tuesday.

That means some voters in Brattleboro, population 7,500, could have a hand in choosing major party nominees who are more than 60 years older than they are: Democratic President Joe Biden, 81, and Republican front-runner Donald Trump, 77.

The change to the town's charter required legislative approval, and Republican Gov. Phil Scott twice rejected the measures. Last year the Democratic-controlled Legislature overrode the governor's veto, giving more Brattleboro teenagers the green light to vote and run for Brattleboro's primary governing body, and to be chosen as representatives to an annual town meeting where many local issues are decided.

Lawmakers stopped short of giving 16 and 17-year-olds the ability to serve on the local school board, which was originally part of the measure town residents approved back in 2019.

Some communities in Maryland have lowered the voting age to 16 for municipal elections. The city council in Newark, New Jersey, approved a measure in January to allow that age group to vote in school board races. Two cities in California lowered the voting age to 16 for school board seats, but those changes have not gone into effect.

Not only is this good, its also telling (and unsurprising) that the Republicans opposed it. Educated young people with critical thinking skills being able to vote is anathema to their platform.

Oh hey I've been there

The highly educated 16 and 17 olds who are known far and wide for their critical thinking skills.

shnangyboos posted...

The highly educated 16 and 17 olds who are known far and wide for their critical thinking skills.

I trust a 16 or 17 year old currently studying science and politics in school far more than a 70 year old racist, anti vaxxer and/or climate change denier.

Which is exactly why conservatives love the latter and do all they can to suppress the former.

Dark_Arbron posted...

Not only is this good, its also telling (and unsurprising) that the Republicans opposed it. Educated young people with critical thinking skills being able to vote is anathema to their platform.

Republicans want to rule you. Not represent you.

DepreceV2 posted...

Republicans want to rule you. Not represent you.

The definition of conservatism.

16 year olds are going to vote to bring back the draft (in Fortnite)

Fucking based. Voting age should be 16 across the board

Yeah, fuck it.

If Republicans want to strip away child labor laws, why not give them the right to vote?

shnangyboos posted...

The highly educated 16 and 17 olds who are known far and wide for their critical thinking skills.

If we were going to block voting based on critical thinking skills there'd be maybe six Republican voters in the nation.

Umbreon posted...

Yeah, fuck it.

If Republicans want to strip away child labor laws, why not give them the right to vote?

^
Can cut your arm off in a meat factory, but can't vote.

I stand by the idea that if you pay federal taxes, you should have a right to vote.

Im in favor of letting sixteen year olds vote across the board purely on the basis that they can be legally employed and thereby pay taxes and if they could pay taxes, then they deserve a say in how they are represented.

shnangyboos posted...

The highly educated 16 and 17 olds who are known far and wide for their critical thinking skills.

I'd bet money they're smarter than you, trumper.

Still supporting that criminal traitor loser in literal 2024 isn't giving your critical thinking skills a boost at all.

I'm deleting that post because it could be misconstrued as pro-Trump, not because it could come across as pervy and creepy.

FortuneCookie posted...

I'm deleting that post because it could be misconstrued as pro-Trump, not because it could come across as pervy and creepy.

There's very little difference between those two.

Umbreon posted...

There's very little difference between those two.

There are pervy Dems.

The far right's go-to accusation of pedophilia has less to do with projection of their own sexual desires and more to do with inane attempts to pretend that they're the lesser of two evils. It needn't have to be said, but there is literally nothing that is more evil than a Nazi.

They should have to pay school district taxes if they get to vote on levies. Not fair to property owners if children get to pass levies because of fear tactics from teachers.