16 for 16
With 16 days until the historic 2016 election, where voters in San Francisco and Berkeley could approve Vote16 in their cities, we’re counting down 16 reasons for Vote16. Check out these reasons why extending voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds is a smart move that we should all be excited about. Share your favorite reasons on social media, and tell us your Vote16 story. The best social media posts will be featured on this website.

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For the first time in history, voters have the chance to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds for local elections in a major American city. The Yes on F campaign in San Francisco is powering toward election day, with a recent poll showing a virtual tie. This is a historic moment, and we need to do all we can to seize it. Want to help?
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This is a new idea, and some people are skeptical at first, but after a five minute conversation that seriously considers the proposal and its benefits, most realize the merits of Vote16. As one young leader wrote about the SF campaign:
“Letting 16-year-olds vote in local elections? My parents thought it was ridiculous, too. San Francisco is always on the leading edge, but this seemed like a step too far.
The argument that swayed them may surprise you: Believe it or not, Proposition F is not about entitling teenagers. Instead, it is designed to create lifelong voters, helping counter a national epidemic of voter disengagement.”

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The political decisions with the greatest effect on young people’s daily lives do not come from the White House or the Capitol. They come from the city hall and municipal offices. The local level of government is arguably the most important, but it’s also the most overlooked. Indeed, many cities struggle to achieve 15 or 20 percent turnout in local elections. Vote16 aims to change that and bring energy back to local elections. Young people care deeply about their communities are are passionate about making them better – let’s give them the chance to participate in the crucial but often neglected realm of local politics.

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Lowering the voting age for local elections is still a new idea, and momentum for it is building at a rapid pace. The policy started to gain traction 10 years ago, when young people in Cambridge, MA convinced the city council to request permission from the state to enact this reform. Massachusetts laws made it tough, and the state ultimately did not act on the city’s request, but energy for this idea has grown from there.
The first two cities to enact this change have done so in the past three years, and there have been a total of four municipal elections with 16-year-old voters. The San Francisco campaign is the very first time this issue is on the ballot in any city, and other cities around the country are taking notice. This is a movement and it’s just getting started.

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The most reliable way for ordinary citizens to influence the government is through their votes. Those under 18 are excluded from the electorate, so politicians do not have an adequate incentive to pay attention to their needs. Letting 16- and 17-year-olds vote in municipal elections will force local politicians to listen to their voices and address their concerns.

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The effort to lower the voting age in local elections transcends party lines. Vote16 aims to invigorate our democracy, lift up civics education, and create lifelong voters, regardless of who or what they vote for. This effort is based on increasing participation in democracy, not promoting any one ideology.

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In both Takoma Park and Hyattsville, public testimony from young people was crucial in securing the votes required to lower the local voting age. In San Francisco, youth leaders went into a public meeting seeking the endorsement of the Board of Education with four out of seven votes secured. After more than an hour of testimony from youth, the Board voted unanimously to support the issue, and every member remarked that their yes vote was a direct result of young people’s passionate advocacy.
The story repeated itself at the Board of Supervisors, where six out of 11 votes were needed to place Vote16 on the ballot. Youth leaders went into a public meeting confident that five supervisors would vote yes. Over 100 young people showed up, dozens gave public comment, and the Board voted 9-2 to place the measure on the ballot. We’ve seen it time and time again. The most effective advocates for Vote16 are the ones we aim to enfranchise, and that’s a reason to be excited about this campaign.

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Lowering the voting age is a new idea, and many people have questions about its legality. Let’s set the record straight. The 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right to vote to those 18 and older, but it does not prohibit states from setting lower voting ages for their elections. Further, several states give their cities the power to establish rules for local elections, including lowering the voting age. Check out our white paper for further description, and see this upcoming law review article on the topic for a more comprehensive analysis. With the common legal concerns addressed, we can confidently move forward working to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds in local elections.

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From school funding and policy, to public transportation, to teen jobs and police programs, local political decisions have great influence on the everyday lives of 16- and 17-year olds. Those over 16 can drive cars, work and pay taxes on their income, and in some cases be tried as adults. They deserve to have a meaningful say in the policies that affect them every day.

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Over 15 countries around the world use a voting age lower than 18 for at least some of their elections, and the results are positive. In Austria, which lowered the voting age to 16 for all national elections in 2008, 16- and 17-year-olds have voted at higher rates than older first time voters, showing that 16 is indeed the best time to establish the important habit of voting. The same has been true with 16- and 17-year-olds voting in Norway’s local elections. Scotland extended the vote to 16-year-olds in the 2014 independence referendum, and was so impressed by their participation that the country lowered the voting age for all of its elections soon thereafter. This solution has worked around the world, and it’s time to move it forward here in the United States.

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Extending voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds for local elections is not just an idea. It’s a real policy that has been implemented in two American cities. Takoma Park made history as the first city to make this change in 2013, and Hyattsville followed in 2015. These changes are extremely recent, but we’re already seeing that 16- and 17-year-olds who register to vote turn out at higher rates than older adults. Further, input from students and community leaders has been almost universally positive. This policy is already working in two American cities, and we’re ready to bring it to more.
For more on these pioneering cities, check out our recent report.

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The United States faces a voter turnout crisis. In the most recent 2014 midterm elections, only 36 percent of eligible voters participated, marking a 72-year low. Indeed, more than 25 percent of eligible voters are not even registered to vote. This problem is well-recognized, and some states have taken bold moves to make voting more accessible in an effort to drive up turnout. But, research reveals that most of these reforms just make voting more convenient for people who already participate, rather than helping new voters establish the habit. We need more innovative solutions to tackle this challenge, and lowering the voting age in local elections is one of them.

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Students learn best when the material they study is relevant to their lives, and civics class risks falling short by teaching young people how government works without any ability to actually participate in it. There is no better way to make civics relevant than by inviting young people into the voting booth. Further, extending voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds can clearly show the need for improved civics education, that prepares students to actively participate in our democracy. The combination of a lower voting age and better civics education can create a virtuous cycle that dramatically boosts civic engagement.

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Young people care deeply about their communities and are passionate about making them better. Indeed, over half of millennials regularly volunteer, a higher rate than other age groups. However, despite their idealism and desire to make a difference, increasing numbers of young people do not see government as part of the solution. The majority of millennials believe the best way to make positive change is through volunteering and charities – not political action. Vote16 can change that. By inviting young people to participate directly in the political process we can show them that it is often the best avenue for change.

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Voting is a habit. If a person votes in the first election they’re eligible for, they are much more likely to become a committed, lifelong voter than if they do not vote in the first election they’re eligible for. The problem is that 18 is not a good time to establish such an important habit. Between leaving home, starting college, joining the workforce, and the many other transitions 18-year-olds encounter, voting can easily get lost in the shuffle. At 16, on the other hand, young people can establish the habit of voting in a stable environment with the support of family, teachers, and peers. Lowering the voting age will let more people vote in the first election they’re eligible for, leading to an increase in turnout in the long run.

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Vote16 is powered by passionate advocates from around the country, from the young people and innovative elected officials who passed this in Maryland, to the massive teams fighting for wins in San Francisco and Berkeley, to those starting conversations about the idea in communities around the country. We are just getting started, and we need your help to move this forward.
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