From the beginning of America, voting has been a fundamental right which many Americans have fought for and some have died for. It’s what establishes America as a “true” democratic country. Our right to vote is given to us by the 26th amendment of the constitution. However, in the past, there have been many discussions about whether constitutional amendments could be changed, and if cities and states had the power to bring these changes. The answers to these questions keep shifting over the years, and we can specifically see it with a recent event in Boston.
On December 21, 2022, the Boston City council decided to support the proposal of allowing 16-17-year-olds to vote in the city’s elections (with a vote of nine to four). To finalize this decision, the bill was forwarded to Boston’s mayor Michelle Wu, who in return could file it to the state legislature if she agrees with it. If the decision is approved, 16 year olds will be able to vote by filling out a separate form. For context, a 16-year-old in Massachusetts can drive a car, have a job, file taxes, and overall provide for their family like an adult.
And apparently, 16 year olds themselves are ready for this change. When asked if she agrees with the city council’s decision, Carlotta, a high schooler in Boston, said “I think a lot of the policies that cities (like Boston) enact, affect a lot of schools and students. This should give them a say in what kinds of policies are being enacted, and who is getting elected”. Another student, who chose to be kept anonymous, said that “16-year-olds now are more educated than before and should have more say in their communities.” Jumping off of that, they noted that this decision could help raise more “devoted and invested city members.”
Rodney, a seventeen year old senior at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, had a different perspective regarding what on its surface seems to be a progressive vote by the Boston City Council:
“I’m not that impressed or energized,” he said. “Yes, a lot of my friends are politically involved. We’re informed and we want to participate in the process of determining who will govern our city and which laws will be passed. I just have a feeling this is more than a little patronizing. Is it acknowledging that there are informed 16 and 17 year olds who deserve to have their votes recognized, or is it a scrap of bread they’re feeding us when we really deserve a full meal and a guaranteed seat at the table? I’m happy for my friends who may get the chance to vote, but I don’t have blind faith in their ability or willingness to make the best long-term decisions.”
Councilor Julia Mejia, one of the City Council members who voted in the affirmative, spoke with Sampan about her decision:
SAMPAN: What were the motivating factors that led to your voting to approve this amendment?
MEJIA: We sponsored this Home Rule Petition because we were inspired by the youth that worked in collaboration with our office. We realized how in many spaces, they are already doing the political work without representation, so we saw this as an opportunity to engage them further. It takes six years to turn a non-voter into a super voter. Giving youth the opportunity to vote at an earlier age is going to inspire them to become lifelong voters, which, we believe, is the pathway to real democracy.
SAMPAN: If this amendment is passed by state legislators Boston will be one of the largest cities in the country to make such a move. Do you foresee this having a ripple effect nationally?
MEJIA: Absolutely. Boston is a leader in politics nationwide, and lowering the voting age can be another way of modeling what is politically possible for the rest of the country. My hope is that youth across the United States will become more politically engaged and demand the right to vote. I also hope that other cities and states will recognize the value of giving young people the right to vote.
SAMPAN: Beyond allowing for a greater number of Boston’s constituents to have a voice in how the city functions, what will legislative passage of this amendment afford the 16 and 17 year old constituency in Boston?
MEJIA: Voting is a fundamental act of civic participation through which people can contribute to our democratic process. Expanding youth voting is one way we can strengthen our democracy, and it can serve as an entry point to other forms of political participation.
SAMPAN: How would you respond to critics who might say that 16 and 17 year olds don’t have the proper emotional maturity and mindset to make clear decisions as voters in local elections?
MEJIA: Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds, just like anyone else, are affected by local political issues. They also work and pay taxes on their income, many drive, and in some cases, they can be tried as an adult in court. Lowering the voting age would force local politicians to listen to and address the concerns of their sixteen- and seventeen-year-old constituents.
The main opposition to this expansion comes from people who feel that 16-year-olds are generally not mature enough to vote independently. Erin Murphy, a mother of 3 teenagers and former teacher, was one of the 4 councilors who voted against this decision. She told The Boston Globe in November 2022: “they’re (teenagers) full of wisdom and have ideas and thoughts, but I also think that they’re very impressionable”. Alongside this, she worries that teenagers would be pressured and forced into voting for specific side by their parents. When the students were told about the opinions of the opposition, Carlotta said “I get this type of view, however, this argument would work best if connected between a teenager (16) and a fully developed adult (25), not between 2 people with a 2-year gap difference (16 and 18)”. Other students agreed with this statement, adding that in this day and age, teenagers educate their parents and guardians about progressive ideas and social norms.
However, student opinions differed when asked about hypothetically expanding the right to vote of 16-year-olds nationwide. One side stands on the idea that 16-year-olds could really shift elections toward the improvement of the country, with a student stating that “Now more than ever should teenagers have an effect on the country, due to being closest to progressive ideas.” On the other hand, students like Carlotta feel like the 26th amendment shouldn’t be changed: “16-year-olds who want to vote could mess up the election because of things like the internet and memes. For example, Kanye West ran for president, and if 16-year-olds had a chance to vote, there would have been a lot more votes for him, even though he wasn’t a serious candidate”.
While there is a disagreement about any nationwide lowering of the voting age, most Boston teenagers agree with the city council’s decision. To put it into context, Boston isn’t the first city to proceed with this lowering. A few towns in Maryland, like Greenbelt, have already moved their voting age down to 16, and if the state legislature approves 16 year olds to vote, Boston will be added to the list.
Whether or not this decision is going to pass, it is exciting to see the trend of inclusion of the younger of our society into the political landscape, allowing them to have their say and contribution into the future of our town and our country.
