PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Local leaders renewed their push Thursday for legislation that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds vote in school board elections.

During a news conference at the State House, supporters of the idea said this bill would empower young people and give high school juniors and seniors a voice in policies that affect their education.

“The minute you engage a young person and they feel empowered to cast a vote about something they know well, they know how their school system operates,” R.I. Secretary of State Gregg Amore said. “Now you have empowered them for life.”

Last legislative session, the bill was sponsored in the House by state Rep. Leonela Felix, D-Pawtucket, and in the Senate by state Sen. Tiara Mack, D-Providence, but neither version made it out of committee.

Two organizations supporting the efforts are the Young Democrats of RI and Vote16USA.

“Rhode Island has the opportunity to lead, being the very first state in the country to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds in every single school board election,” said LaJuan Allen, executive director of Vote16USA.

Meanwhile, an opponent of the bill, R.I. GOP Chairman Joe Powers, offered alternate solutions when speaking to 12 News about the proposal.

“I think there could be something along the ways of having some form of an advisory board, where they have the student committee or the student government who could be making suggestions to the school board to help out make improvements for the school,” Powers said. “But to have them voting on who’s going to be running the school board, who is ultimately making decisions on how schools are going to be run, I don’t think that that burden should be put on children of high school age.”

The General Assembly will be back in session next month.

Source: https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/bill-seeks-to-lower-ris-voting-age-for-school-board-elections/