San Francisco considers changing local voting age to 16
By Celine Castronuovo - 09/12/20 05:09 PM EDT
A new proposition in San Francisco could allow teenagers as young as 16 to vote in local elections, NBC News reported Saturday.
Residents will vote on the measure in November and, if passed, San Francisco would become the first major American city to grant 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in municipal elections.
A similar measure introduced in 2016 failed to pass, receiving approximately 48 percent of the vote. However, local activists are hoping for success this time around.
“I really think that Vote 16 will help youth of color in San Francisco establish the habit of voting at an earlier age, and really provide them with the support and the resources that they need to continue building on that habit as they grow older,†Crystal Chan, an 18-year old organizer for Vote 16 SF who fought to get the measure on the ballot, told NBC News.
Some cities across the country have already offered certain voting privileges to teenagers. Takoma Park, Md., passed a measure in 2013 allowing people as young as 16 to vote in local elections.
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/516155-san-francisco-considers-changing-local-voting-age-to-16
