Lower the voting age, the planet depends on it

Youth leaders from Northampton, MA discuss the importance of lowering the voting age to fight climate change in an op-ed for Commonwealth Magazine.

Did you vote for mayor this week?

Hundreds of municipalities held elections for mayor, city council, and other local leaders on Tuesday. If you filled out a ballot, you might be one of the few. While some mayoral elections made history, many cities saw fewer than 30% of eligible residents fill out a ballot, continuing the long-established trend of low participation in the elections that are closest to home.

GENERATION CITIZEN AND VOTE16USA HELP LAUNCH VOTE 16 RESEARCH NETWORK TO ANALYZE IMPACT OF LOWERING VOTING AGE IN THE UNITED STATES

On August 23, Generation Citizen and its Vote16USA initiative, in conjunction with partners across the University of Maryland, announced its participation in the Vote 16 Research Network, a community-led collaboration between the university, community leaders, young...

Apply to join the 2021-2022 Youth Advisory Board!

Applications to join the 2021-2022 Youth Advisory Board are now live! The deadline is July 29.

State legislatures consider bills to lower voting age to 16 in 2021

Young people and elected officials are working on legislation to lower the voting age in states across the country, and we’re here to help you keep track of the action. Read on for more details on bills that are in the works or have been recently introduced in state...

125 Members of Congress Support Amendment to Lower Voting Age to 16

March 3, 2021 Today, 125 members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of an amendment to the HR.1 "For the People Act" legislation to add a provision to lower the voting age to 16 for federal elections.  The amendment was authored by Congresswomen...

Amendment to HR.1 “For the People Act” Seeks to Lower Voting Age to 16

U.S. House of Representatives will vote on proposed amendment to lower voting age to 16 for federal elections.

Vote16 Legislation Introduced in Congress

On February 4, legislation was introduced in Congress proposing a Constitutional Amendment to lower the voting age to 16 nationwide. The legislation, H.J.Res.23, was introduced by Rep. Grace Meng of New York, along with 17 original co-sponsors. When the...

Another Maryland City Has Lowered The Local Voting Age, the 5th To Make the Change

The city of Mount Rainier, MD has officially extended voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds for municipal elections, according to the Route 1 Reporter. The city, which is in Prince George's County, is the 5th Maryland city to make this change, following the lead of...

Vote16 Legislation Introduced in Congress

On February 4, legislation was introduced in Congress proposing a Constitutional Amendment to lower the voting age to 16 nationwide. The legislation, H.J.Res.23, was introduced by Rep. Grace Meng of New York, along with 17 original co-sponsors. When the...

March 12, 2020

Dear friend, I hope this note finds you well. I know we are all going through a stressful time, to say the least. In the midst of ongoing uncertainty, it’s been a bit of a respite to reflect on some positive news within the Vote16USA movement. I’m excited to share the...

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February 11, 2020

Dear friend, We launched Vote16USA in 2015 by publishing a white paper that outlined the research behind the idea of lowering the voting age, progress to date, and where it was most feasible to pursue advocacy. That paper, which ultimately...

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"16 year olds deal with peer pressure, gun violence, drugs, bullying and more. We're mature enough to rise above all of that, and we do have a voice."

Elijah Robinson

16, Washington, D.C.

Help Young Voices Be Heard