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During an unprecedented election year, 8-year-old Maura Workman-Mandell wants to make history of her own: She wants to vote.
The Portage Park resident, who will turn 9 on Nov. 16, is holding a rally for child voting rights Tuesday outside her elementary school. Maura, a third-grader at Beaubien Elementary School, was recently elected class president and has been advocating for a lower voting age quite literally since kindergarten. […]
In Illinois, 17-year-olds can vote in primary elections as long as they are 18 by the general election.
Maura has a slightly younger voting age in mind.
“Probably not 4-year-olds because I feel like they would just pick whoever, but maybe 6-, 7- or 8-year-olds,” Maura said while sitting cross-legged and backwards on a park bench during a recent afternoon.
Thousands of high school students in Oakland, California, will be voting for the first time this November after a successful ballot measure gave 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in local school board elections.
Ashley Tchanyoum, a high school junior in Oakland, says she has been encouraging her classmates to register in the lead-up to the election and looks forward to exercising her right to vote for the first time. “It empowers students to have a voice in shaping the policies that affect them every day,” she says.
The Oakland initiative is part of a growing movement in the United States to lower the voting age to enfranchise 16- and 17-year-olds. Proponents of the change argue that young people are already shaping the nation’s politics through influential organizing movements, including March for Our Lives and Sunrise Movement. Those student-led organizations respond to issues that disproportionately affect young people, including gun violence and climate change. With so much on the line, lowering the voting age would give young people a more direct means of intervening in the political process to shape policy on issues that affect them and their futures.
A dozen municipalities have already enfranchised 16- and 17-year-olds in either school board elections, such as in Oakland, or all municipal elections, meaning young people can also vote on local ballot measures and for municipal representatives. The majority of these municipalities are in Maryland. There are also ongoing campaigns to lower the voting age in Washington, D.C., and municipalities in New Jersey. This November, voters in Albany, California, will decide on a similar measure. Meanwhile, statewide campaigns to lower voting age in Missouri, Rhode Island, and Oregon are growing and have garnered support from both Republicans and Democrats.
* New Trier High School senior Logan Gouss…
As an 18-year-old high school senior, I’m excited to finally vote in the fall election. However, it’s troubling that I was denied the right to vote in the 2022 midterm elections at 16, a right also denied to millions of politically active young people solely based on age.
When the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1971, it enfranchised more than 10 million 18- to 20-year-olds, but it drew an arbitrary line.
In Chicago, 16-year-olds can drive, pay taxes, be tried as adults and are subject to labor laws but are denied a say in the issues that affect them. While Illinois does allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if they’ll be 18 by the general election, more must be done. […]
Illinois should allow municipalities to lower the voting age to 16 in municipal elections, helping to create a generation of lifelong voters. This move would bring us closer to a democracy that genuinely reflects the voices of all those affected by its decisions.
* Last year, Rep. Kam Buckner introduced HB4168…
Amends the Election Code. Changes the minimum voting age to 16 years old (instead of 18 years old) for State and local elections. Makes conforming changes.
The bill did not move.
* The Question: Should Illinois lower the voting age? Explain your answer please.
posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 11:53 am
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I get the sentiment and applaud anyone under 18 getting involved in the civic process. I don’t think we should lower the voting age though.
I’m all in for automatic registration when you turn 18 and I’d even consider compulsory voting, but don’t think lowering age is necessary or wise
Comment by Beep booop Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 11:55 am
16 for School board elections makes sense to me, talk about shaking up school administrators! Otherwise 18 is reasonable.
Comment by Annon3 Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 11:56 am
I have a hard time believing the average 16 year old is significantly less capable of voting than the average 18 year old. As soon as you say “well you can’t have IQ tests or knowledge tests or ________ tests as a condition of voting” it makes it a lot harder to justify higher voting ages.
Compare with driving which has huge, obvious age points where drivers are much more dangerous to themselves and others (which probably argues for a higher driver license age than we currently have).
Comment by Homebody Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 11:59 am
If you’re old enough to join the military at the very least then you should be old enough to vote also. That’s my rule of thumb.
Of course thankfully we’re no longer at the point where voting depends upon whether or not you’re a stakeholder. Such as a landowner or even part of an economic class.
Comment by Levois Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:00 pm
Didn’t mean to be a Debbie downer though, I think these stories are awesome and kudos to the parents for doing a great job raising them
Comment by Beep booop Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:01 pm
Well since there is a push to treat people who are 25 or under more leniently in criminal cases as their brains have not matured perhaps an argument could be made for raising the voting age
I think 18 is appropriate if you are old enough to be drafted or serve you are old enough to vote any younger is a stretch although probably also lots of smart kids and many more knowledgeable than lots of voters
Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:04 pm
I think 18 years old is a pretty decent place to keep the voting age. The vast majority of countries have the same minimum voting age. Most 16 year old high school students probably haven’t completed the entire US History requirements for graduation yet so they would be even less likely to make an informed decision.
I’m sure there are some 16 and 17 year old kids that could make informed decisions but the line has to be drawn somewhere and I feel like 18 is a good spot. I think Illinois has already taken a good step with the law that allows 17 year olds to vote in the primary election if they will be 18 years old for the general election.
Comment by Aaron B Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:08 pm
No. Additionally we should have citizens take Reading, Writing and Math Logic tests and prohibit those below the Eighth Grade level from Voting. I would like to see the Voting age raised to 20.
Comment by Margaret Precht Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:09 pm
To a large extent I think where exactly we draw the line for adulthood in general is arbitrary, so I don’t think it particularly matters. In my mind I think 15 year olds could make “good enough” decisions, 12 year olds probably not. So if we decided to draw the line somewhere around 14 or 15 I wouldn’t really care.
Comment by Perrid Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:10 pm
Unsure about lowering the minimum age, but a maximum age should definitely be instituted. It’s absurd how many decisions about the future we leave in the hands of the people who will not be around to face the consequences.
Comment by Drury's Missing Clock Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:18 pm
No. Have you raised many 16yo kids?
Comment by SOIL M Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:20 pm
Logic tells me no because I don’t think a 16 year old is mature enough. Then reality sets in and I know that there are many adult voters who lack maturity as well. I’m honestly torn but I would lean towards no.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:21 pm
I default to the idea of “no taxation without representation.”
If sixteen year-olds are old enough to work and thereby pay taxes, then how is it remotely fair for them to have zero say in how they are taxed?
And if folks in certain Republican circles want to lower the working age even further, then those states should subsequently lower the voting age furthermore as well.
Comment by TJ Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:22 pm
If lowering the age, then lower the age to be tried as an adult in the court room. We want 14, 15,16 year olds to have all these adult responsibilities. Let kids be kids. Society is trying to makes kids grow up much younger and push things at them. Social media influencing the way they think as well. They have the rest of their lives to worry about this stuff.
Comment by will county Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:28 pm
Interesting that there is also a movement to raise the age for when criminal offenders are charged as adults rather than juveniles from 18 to 21, or higher. Advocates argue it’s because the brain doesn’t fully develop until 24 or 25.
I think 18 is just fine for both.
Comment by Simon Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:31 pm
16 year old’s can work and assist with election day registration at polling places in IL. They are able to obtain licensure if they understand and follow the rules of the road. Driving a vehicle can be an immensely dangerous venture. They can work at ages of 15 and 16.If we allow all of the above, why not allow voting
Comment by Young Dino Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:32 pm
==If lowering the age, then lower the age to be tried as an adult in the court room.==
In many cases, they already are tried as adults.
==They have the rest of their lives to worry about this stuff.==
Sure, but you better believe that loads and loads and loads of under-18 year-olders already deeply worry about this stuff and bemoan their lack of meaningful agency. If more high schoolers could vote, you’d better believe that more forward-thinking climate action, school funding, and gun safety measures would have that much more weight in the halls of power than they do now.
Comment by TJ Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:32 pm
===Should Illinois lower the voting age? Explain your answer please. ===
No, but I could be persuaded. No one has really made an effective argument for why it should be lower than 18 to vote in federal general elections. And if it is lower, why is 17 better than 18 or 16 better than 18?
Our energies would perhaps better be spent creating a culture in k-12 education where voting is introduced as a concept and a practice in the classroom like they already do in other countries, and I don’t mean by annually electing a class president or a class board that have little impact on the experience students have.
I mean straight forward things, like voting every month for what time afternoon snack occurs, what time recess is, what the afternoon snack is, and basic straight forward approaches. Other countries also have approaches that allow children to participate in their own rule making, and their own course of study as children — the current German Kindergarten is a fantastic example of that.
Voter participation among the young, and voter participation in general in our society leaves a lot of room for improvement.
Letting a bunch of children vote isn’t going to improve our society much. Fostering our children to be active and engaged citizens that understand that their votes directly impact their daily experience will.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:36 pm
I like the idea of 16 year olds voting in school board races. The argument that most interests me in getting them to vote more generally is around establishing a voting habit before they leave home, but I am not sure that is enough for me. Voting only in school board elections can be good enough to establish that habit. Other than that, I think 18 is the right level for now.
Comment by CornAl DoGooder Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:40 pm
==we should have citizens take Reading, Writing and Math Logic tests and prohibit those below the Eighth Grade level from Voting. I would like to see the Voting age raised to 20==
With the random capitalization, I’ll guess you would not pass that testing and will be sitting out this election?
Comment by jimbo Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:43 pm
== No. Have you raised many 16yo kids? ==
Loved this. Exactly what I was thinking.
Comment by Southside Markie Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:51 pm
Unequivocally yes. The franchise should be extended to all citizens, regardless of age (concerns about impracticality are not a sufficient justification to take the franchise away from those most affected by our politics), but giving the vote to everyone over the age of 12 is a great start.
For those pointing to a lack of maturity or intelligence as a justification to prevent American citizens from voting: Are you proposing IQ tests for adults to vote? Down that path lies a much more dangerous future than the one where teenagers get to vote.
If we can charge them sales tax for buying candy (or whatever else), they should get to have a say.
Comment by Garfield Ridge Guy Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:58 pm
“Probably not 4-year-olds because I feel like they would just pick whoever”
You can tell a young person said this, because they still think that silly behavior completely goes away in everyone when people become adults. I know 40-yr olds who vote like this.
I don’t disagree with the overall sentiment though. If someone is under the rules of a government, they should get a vote in it. That would include anyone in school.
Generally, there are more adults than children in any area so there is no way for kids to really vote in anything of significance other than what the adults are already voting for. But having a vote gives them a chance to more strongly influence the policy of those same adults.
Neat idea. But I doubt my views are in the majority where it would become a law for everyone in the state.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 12:59 pm
I’ve always said that if you’re old enough to drive, then you’re old enough to vote (but I did not ever reconcile with myself if they should both be 16 or 18). But the tried as an adult argument is compelling too. So, move everything to 18 or let 16 year-olds vote, especially for school boards.
Comment by Lurker Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 1:00 pm
I should also add that I much more strongly feel the voting age should be capped on the top end (and I’m sure my number is much lower than most) but I won’t open that can of worms here.
Comment by Lurker Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 1:03 pm
Yes to 16 and 17 year-olds voting in state and local elections. These would be good races for them to get involved in and learn and understand the process, since they often times tend to be based around the real issues that the school/community those students live in are facing.
Federal elections I would leave at 18 for now, since it would need a constitutional amendment to change that anyway.
Comment by chambana Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 1:07 pm
When I was a college student and about to turn 21 I testified before the Con-Con Suffrage Committee chaired by the late Peter Tomei in favor of lowering the voting age to 18. I continue to believe that is the correct age and do not believe that it should be lowered to 16. I think that an individual should at least have graduated from high school before exercising the right to vote. As an aside, Peter Tomei would have gone far in politics had he not tragically passed away in 1971.
Comment by Retired SURS Employee Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 1:07 pm
Scotland allowed 16-year-olds to vote in the independent Scotland referendum, because they were making a decisions about the future that would affect children for generations to come.
I increasingly feel that as our elections are about the future of our livable planet, we should lower the voting age. The choices we make now may not affect us in our lifetimes, but they will affect our children.
Comment by Suburban Mom Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 1:30 pm
I’m actually embarrassed to say that I had not considered that 16 year-olds can pay taxes to the government but cannot elect the leaders of government. This is compelling to me, and I have rolled my eyes at the suggestion that 16-year-olds be allowed to vote in the past.
To the point above that a person should at least have graduated from high school before voting– that’s not a requirement. It’s just based on age, not the level of education you receive. Should a 16-year-old who graduates early be allowed to vote?
Comment by Who else Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 1:32 pm
–To the point above that a person should at least have graduated from high school before voting– that’s not a requirement. It’s just based on age, not the level of education you receive. Should a 16-year-old who graduates early be allowed to vote?–
Your point is well taken. I meant to suggest that 18 is the age of most high school graduates. I did not mean to imply that high school graduation should be a requirement for being able to vote.
Comment by Retired SURS Employee Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 1:39 pm
Driving and working at age 16 are restricted - hours, who can be in the car, etc. Allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote in school board elections mirrors this.
18 is the current standard for military service so should be the age at which one can fully vote.
Comment by Proud Sucker Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 1:41 pm
While I agree on sixteen for logical reasons, the number of highly uninformed and loopy voters I see interviewed on TV makes me think maybe we shouldn’t be pushing for “everyone” to vote.
My name on this blog is based on the idea that a lot of people vote against their own interests because they have been led astray by various means, or just choose to be uneducated. Do we need more uneducated uninformed voters? They are the ones easiest to manipulate.
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 2:09 pm
==My name on this blog is based on the idea that a lot of people vote against their own interests because they have been led astray by various means, or just choose to be uneducated. Do we need more uneducated uninformed voters? They are the ones easiest to manipulate. ==
If the past decade+ has taught us anything, it’s that supposedly wizened elders are among the most easily duped by blatant charlatans, be in the guise of duplicitous political actors or blatantly obvious scammers. Age and education are not an end all, be all to determine if someone is informed or not in the process. Heck, if anything, I’d say that 16 year-olds still taking civics classes have at least a recent refresher on the entire process versus those far older that have let their knowledge about actual civics atrophy over the decades.
I’d proportionally venture a guess that there are about as many ignorant or misguided teenagers as there are young adults, middle-aged folks, and senior citizens.
Comment by TJ Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 2:16 pm
Voting age should be tied to the age where someone can legally sign a contract. 18 is that age right now.
Comment by FormerParatrooper Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 2:22 pm
State Rep Roscoe Cunningham introduce a bill to allow 14-year olds to vote in library board elections in the 1970’s.
His daughter was then 14.
Comment by cal skinner Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 2:55 pm
The age of majority should be moved to 21 at this point, especially in Illinois. This includes joining the military, voting, firearm ownership, tobacco use, alcohol use, marijuana use, lottery, casinos, medical decisions, marriage and so on. If the law states you aren’t mature enough to do any one of the above, then you aren’t mature enough to do any of them.
Comment by Rounding Numbers and Bases Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 3:11 pm
As to state elections, I say no. I see little reason why children should be voting for Governor, AG, Representatives and Senators of states and the Nation, etc. At best it would simply allow parents more votes than non-parents, given that children are more likely to mirror the beliefs of their mentors than not.
But as to municipal elections, I care not. Indeed, it is conceivable that learning to register and vote, and then voting on the Sheriff and Mayor and Coroner and School Board would tie nicely into civics lessons, because these people are “real,” and live locally. I even think the passage above (”allow municipalities to lower the voting age to 16 in municipal elections, helping to create a generation of lifelong voters”) may well make a slight difference. But I see no reason for allowing federal and state elections, as these politicians are abstract people. They represent political platforms and social agenda, not “real neighbors” influencing real lives at the local level.
Comment by H-W Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 3:15 pm
Congressman Casten spoke to a group of students last summer and suggested one of the strategies to better engage the 18-35 year old demographic politically is to give them the right to vote while they are still living at home with their parents. He may be onto something that there is comfort and support in doing something new if your parents are around to nag you about it.
Comment by Barbie Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 3:20 pm
=No. Have you raised many 16yo kids?=
My teenager will be 16 next month. He exhibits critical thinking skills that are often lacking in adults. He has a clear understanding of right and wrong. He is very concerned about the future of our country but unable to do much about it given his age. I would second everything Suburban Mom said and give him the right to vote.
Comment by Pundent Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 4:07 pm
===Federal elections I would leave at 18 for now, since it would need a constitutional amendment to change that anyway.===
The 26th Amendment only specifies that 18 and up must be allowed, but it is silent about states allowing voters younger than 18. Is there case law or a statute that forbids 16 year olds from voting in federal elections?
Comment by thechampaignlife Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 5:00 pm
= At best it would simply allow parents more votes than non-parents =
I know one candidate for an important federal office who thinks that’s a good idea.
Comment by JoanP Monday, Nov 4, 24 @ 5:06 pm