Teen suffrage

  • Author By Alice
  • Publication date February 19, 2020
  • Categories: Uncategorized
  • Sticky post

Exploring proposals to lower the voting age to 16

In 2019, Oregon State Senator Shemia Fagan introduced Senate Bill 838, a proposal to lower the voting age in state and local elections from 18 to 16. That same year, U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) introduced legislation that would require states to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year olds in federal elections. These attempts to enfranchise younger voters form part of a larger campaign led by vote16usa, an organization that sees lowering the voting age as a step to revitalize our democracy and strengthen civic engagement.

This project explores the debate surrounding proposals to lower the voting age. We examine the history of age-related restrictions and consider the different arguments for expanding voting rights (or maintaining the status quo). We interview activists, leaders, and academics to understand the context for many of these arguments. Our goal is to understand the issue and promote informed and authentic dialogue.

Many other nations allow 16- and 17-year olds to vote in local, state, or national elections, illustrated in the following chart from Vote 16 USA:

Source: Vote16USA
PBS Newshour coverage of vote16usa in Washington, DC

Symposium POSTPONED

POSTPONED because of Coronavirus/COVID-19: The Public Research Fellows symposium originally scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2020 will take place in Fall 2020. Stay tuned for details. The symposium will include the following:

A guided tour of student fellows’ projects related to voting rights, political representation, and suffrage history.

A roundtable of local Oregon politicians and scholars as they discuss issues related to voting and political representation today.

A keynote address by Dr. Brittney Cooper, “Trust Black Women: The Importance of Black Women in U.S. Politics.” Cooper will talk about the struggle for Black women’s suffrage and the historical role of Black women’s vote, making the case for why there is no progressive politics in America without Black women.

For more information and to register, click here.

Teen suffrage: The podcast

We are creating a series of podcasts to examine the issues surrounding proposals to lower the voting age to 16 in state and local elections. Our podcasts feature interviews with local community leaders, activists, and academics with opinions about teen suffrage. Stay tuned for Episode 1!