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Let Us Vote!

Teens across the country are on a mission to lower the voting age. Learn why—and how it might affect you.

October 2024

by Brooke Ross

input

advice or opinions (or the chance to give advice or opinions)

During the student government meeting, everyone got a chance to share their input about the pep rally.

photo credit: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

movement

a group of people who are working together to achieve something

The goal of the animal rights movement is to stop humans from harming animals.

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values

strongly held beliefs about what is important

I think honesty and kindness are important values in any friendship.

photo credit: Natalie magic/ Shutterstock

federal

relating to the national government

A federal law applies to everyone in the country, while state laws apply only to people in that state.

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Congress

the branch of the U.S. government that makes laws

Congress is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

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civics

the study of the rights and duties of citizens and how the government works

James learned in his civics class that going to his local town hall meetings is one way to make his voice heard.

photo credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Only 16% of Americans believe 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote.
_{- Source: Hill-HarrisX, 2019}

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Nathaniel Esubonteng was ready. The 16-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, wanted a say in how his school was run. And this was his chance to make his case.

School boards are groups of people who make decisions about local schools. This can include everything from what students eat for lunch to which classes are offered. Most often, school board members are elected by the people who live in a school district.

Last winter, Nathaniel got up in front of a Newark City Council meeting. In a short speech, he made a big ask.

He wanted council members to lower the voting age for school board elections. At the time, the voting age was 18. Nathaniel and some other Newark teens thought it should be 16.

“We’re at school eight hours a day with no real input in the things that are happening there,” says Nathaniel, now 17. “I want young people to have a seat at the table.”

PAUSE AND THINK: What did Nathaniel ask the city council to do?

Build Knowledge

Why Is the Voting Age 18?

In 1971, the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution became a law. It lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. Why? At the time, the U.S. was involved in a war in Vietnam. That’s a country in Southeast Asia. Men as young as 18 were being drafted, or made to fight in the war. Tens of thousands of American soldiers had already died in that war. “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote” became a popular saying.

A Powerful Right

Nathaniel is not alone. He’s part of a growing movement. From Hawaii to Massachusetts, teens are fighting for a powerful right: the right to vote.

Many of these teens are inspired by the issues that matter to them. They care about things like climate change and school safety. If they are able to vote, they can help choose leaders who have similar values.

But there’s another reason some young people believe they should be able to vote: taxes.

Many teens have jobs. And anyone with a job pays taxes. The government uses taxes to pay for things like schools and roads. This money is taken out of teens’ paychecks. Shouldn’t teens be able to vote for the people who decide how that money is used?

PAUSE AND THINK: How does voting give you power?

Showing Up

Some young people say they should have a say. And they’re focusing on local elections.

Right now, the federal voting age in the U.S. is 18. That means you need to be 18 to vote for the U.S. president and members of Congress. But cities and states have control over their own elections. They can pass laws that set their own voting age. It just can’t be higher than 18.

In 2013, the city of Takoma Park, Maryland, made history. It became the first place in the U.S. to lower the voting age to 16 for local elections. That means more young people could vote for the mayor, city council members, and other local officials.

And they did. In election after election, young people in Takoma Park have shown up. Since 2013, more 16- and 17-year-olds have voted than any other age group. This has inspired other towns in Maryland and Vermont to lower the voting age too.

PAUSE AND THINK: What happened when Takoma Park lowered its voting age?

Good Voting Habits

Still, voting is about more than just showing up. You also have to understand how the government works. Many adults believe 16- and 17-year-olds aren’t ready. They worry young voters won’t educate themselves about the issues and candidates.

DJ Yearwood disagrees. The 18-year-old has been working to lower the voting age for local elections in Missouri. He points out that many high school students study civics. Voting allows them to put what they learn to use in the real world.

Plus, DJ believes that voting in local elections creates good voting habits. This will help our country in the future. Voting as a teen makes people more likely to vote as adults. “It’s a great introduction [to voting],” DJ says.

PAUSE AND THINK: Why are some adults against lowering the voting age?

Use Your Voice!

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Step 1
Get in touch with your values. Ask yourself: What changes would I like to see in my school or community? What makes someone a good leader?

Step 2
Educate Yourself. Find out who is running in local, state, and national elections. Research what they stand for. (Sites like Ballotpedia.org and VoteSmart.org can help.)

Step 3
Urge others to vote. Remind the adults in your life about election day. Ask them to vote—and let them know what’s important to you.

“Voting is a powerful way
to shape the world around us.”
—Breanna Campbell, 17

Shaping the World

Brian Fraser for The New York Times/Redux

Breanna Campbell

Back in Newark, Nathaniel’s speech paid off. Earlier this year, the Newark City Council made a decision. It voted to lower the voting age to 16 for school board elections. Now the city is getting ready for the change. It is preparing for about 7,000 16- and 17-year-olds to sign up to vote.

Nathaniel and his classmate Breanna Campbell, 17, are happy they achieved their goal. They’re busy too.

The high school seniors are working hard to get other teens excited to take part in next spring’s election. This includes helping at events that teach young people about the issues and candidates.

Breanna herself can’t wait to vote. One issue she cares about is mental health. She wants schools to provide more services to support students’ emotional needs.