Young teens in Boston may head to the polls very soon.
The Boston City Council recently voted to lower the voting age from 18 to 16. This would make Boston the first major city in the United States to allow 16-year-olds to vote in municipal elections, but state and federal voting restrictions would remain the same.
City Councilor Julia Mejia said this move would help represent the many young people who are already working multiple jobs and making their voices heard by participating in protests.
“The notion that young people may not be mature enough to make decisions like this. . . often times it’s young people who are educating their parents and uncles and aunts and older folks about who’s running for office and why they should vote,” she said.
The proposal will now go to Mayor Michelle Wu before heading to Legislature. Other Massachusetts communities have tried to lower the voting age, but have yet to find any success. Let’s see if this one will make it happen.