SHOULD 16-YEAR-OLDS HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE?
SOME SAY YES. NORTHHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL HAS
PASSED A RESOLUTION IN FAVOR OF LOWERING THE VOTING AGE TO 16
FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. THE CITY'S CHARTER REVIEW
COMMISSION IS LOOKING AT THAT AND OTHER PROPOSALS.
CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DWIGHT AND
MARGOT SHOCKET-GREEN AND THE CHAIR OF THE YOUTH COMMISSION TO
FIND OUT MORE. >> THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COMMISSION
ACTUALLY HAS BEEN DISCUSSING THIS NOW FOR CLOSE TO ALMOST SIX
YEARS. IT'S BEEN DISCUSSING ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF HAVING 16-YEAR-OLDS VOTE.
ORIGINALLY IT WAS JUST FLOATED AS KIND OF AN ABSURD IDEA.
THEN AS ISSUES BECAME MORE URGENT, I MEAN, I THINK
GLOBALLY, LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, THERE WAS A GENUINE INTEREST IN
THE PROSPECT OF LOWERING THE VOTING AGE TO 16.
SOME FRUSTRATION ABOUT THE FACT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO
VOTE. >> ISSUES THAT BECAME MORE
URGENT, FOR WHO AND WHICH ISSUES?
>> WELL, THE MOST STRIKING ONE, OF COURSE, CAME OUT AFTER THE
VARIOUS SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND REACTIONS TO THAT.
BUT THERE WAS ALSO THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP TENDED TO PROMPT
A LOT OF CONCERNS AND DISCUSSION, PARTICULARLY IN
NORTHHAMPTON, BEING A PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY, AND THE
YOUTH COMMISSIONERS AND OTHER YOUTH WERE SPEAKING ABOUT,
OUTWARDLY ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND ORGANIZING, AND WORKING TO
TRY AND AFFECT CHANGE BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT REALLY SURE HOW
THEY WOULD GO ABOUT IT. AND THEY WERE DISEMPOWERED,
DISENFRANCHISED. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE MEANS, THEY
COULD MARCH BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO VOTE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
FOR THEM. >> AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD
SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S LIFE.
THERE HAVE BEEN GENERATIONS IN THE PAST THAT HAVE BEEN 16 YEARS
OLD AND SO FRUSTRATED THAT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BUT YOU HAVE
TO GET TO THE AGE OF 18 WHEN YOU CAN ALSO JOIN THE MILITARY AS
WELL TO HAVE THAT RIGHT AND I WOULD SAY A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD
ARGUE THAT IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO VOTE AND TO EXERCISE
THAT RIGHT SO WHY NOT WAIT? >> ODDLY ENOUGH IT'S NOT A
PRIVILEGE. IT'S A RIGHT.
IT SHOULDN'T BE A PRIVILEGE. DRIVING IS A PRIVILEGE, WHICH WE
ALLOW AT 16 YEARS OLD. THAT IS A PRIVILEGE.
YOU DON'T, WE DON'T EXPECT YOU TO DRIVE, BUT PEOPLE DO WHO WANT
TO DRIVE AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE A TEST AND GET A LICENSE AND
APPROVED BY THE STATE AND SO ON BUT THAT IS A PRIVILEGE.
THAT'S WHAT MY DRIVING TEACHER TOLD ME.
BUT VOTING IS NOT A PRIVILEGE. VOTING IS ACTUALLY A FUNDAMENTAL
ASPECT OF BEING A CITIZEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS SUCH, HISTORICALLY, WE'VE BEEN WATCHING VOTING TRENDS AND
VOTER PARTICIPATION PLUMMETING AND DROPPING FROM EACH
SUCCEEDING -- IN EACH SUCCEEDING DECADE.
THE FACT THERE ARE PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 WHO ARE INTERESTED
IN BEING INVOLVED AND WANT TO BE ENGAGED, AND NOT BEING ALLOWED
TO, I THINK, WE'RE SQUANDERING AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT TYPE
OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. IT REALLY IS KIND OF FUNDAMENTAL
TO THE WAY WE FUNCTION ON THE PLANET, IS TO INFRANCHISE AS
MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN
GOVERNANCE. >> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED IN NORTHHAMPTON AND HOW YOU BECAME INVOLVED.
>> I JOINED THE MAYOR COMMISSION IN MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH
SCHOOL. DURING THAT YEAR, DISCUSSION WAS
ALREADY STARTING ABOUT HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT PETITIONING THE
STATE FOR THE RIGHT TO LOWER THE VOTING AGE TO 16.
AND ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WHO NOW WORKS WITH ME, DRAFTED A
RESOLUTION, AND IN MY JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN I
BECAME A PART OF THE COMMISSION, WE WITH THE HELP OF BILL,
FINISHED DRAFTING THIS RESOLUTION AND STARTED THE
PROCESS OF RUNNING IT BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH WAS A GREAT
PROCESS TO GO THROUGH. EVERYONE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
THIS WAS RIGHT AFTER THE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES, AND SO PEOPLE
WERE REALLY IN TUNE TO WHAT THE YOUTH HAD TO SAY.
AND IT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT TIME FOR US BECAUSE THESE ISSUES
WERE FEELING MORE AND MORE CRITICAL, AND IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TRY TO PUSH THIS IDEA OF YOUTH CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT. >> IT PASSED THE CITY COUNCIL
AND THE NEXT STEP IS TO PETITION THE STATE?
>> RIGHT NOW WE'RE UNDERGOING A CHARTER REVIEW, WHICH IS OUR
EQUIVALENT OF A CITY CONSTITUTION.
THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES PROPOSED AND YOU HAVE TO
PETITION THE LEGISLATURE FOR PERMISSION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOWERING THE VOTING AGE NOT THROUGHOUT THE
STATE ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT WOULD BE IDEAL BUT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT JUST FOR NORTHHAMPTON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, 16 AND 17-YEAR-OLDS BEING ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE. >> LONG TERM WOU WANT TO
CHANGE TO IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT AFFECTING CHANGE AND GUN CONTROL AND SOME OTHER ISSUES
THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU, MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS ARE
IMPORTANT, BUT THEN YOU WOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT STATE
ELECTIONS, RIGHT? AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS AS SOME
OF THOSE, I GUESS, PLATFORMS WHERE YOU REALLY WOULD HAVE --
HAVE A VOICE. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD WANT
TO MOVE LONG TERM TO? >> BECAUSE VOTER PARTICIPATION
IS DROPPING EARLIER ENGAGEMENT WOULD HOPEFULLY HOLD ON TO
VOTERS. A -- I GUESS IT'S BEEN SHOWN
THAT ONCE YOU START VOTING, YOU DON'T STOP.
IT'S AN ADDICTION BUT THE FACT IS PEOPLE DON'T BECOME
DISENGAGED SO THE MORE ENGAGEMENT AT 16, I THINK,
NORTHHAMPTON, IF THEY ALLOWED 16-YEAR-OLDS AND 17-YEAR-OLDS TO
VOTE WOULD YOU HAVE A MORE SOPHISTICATED ELECTORATE AND
WITH A BROADER SENSE OF THE ISSUES.
WE TALK ABOUT THEM WITHOUT THEM, I MEAN, IT'S INTERESTING, IN MY
AGE, THE ONE THING THAT WE ALL KNOW IS THAT WE WERE ALL
TEENAGERS AT ONE POINT, OR WE WERE THAT AGE AT ONE POINT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, REALLY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A WOMAN REALLY.
BUT I DO KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A TEENAGER, AND I THINK
THAT WE TEND TO FORGET THAT AND THE ISSUES, THEY ARE NOT REMOVED
FROM THE ISSUES, THEY ARE AFFECTED BY THE ISSUES AND THEY
WANT TO PARTICIPATE, I HOPE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS CATCHES ON
NATIONALLY. >> SO ARE YOUNGER PEOPLE.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF KIDS WHO ARE 14 WHO WANT TO BE ENGAGED AND
WHO CARE PASSIONATELY ABOUT ISSUES THAT NOTHING TO DO WITH
GUN CONTROL. IT COULD BE THE ENVIRONMENT,
RANKINGS FREEDOM OR SOMETHING ELSE WHO ARE ALSO SMART AND
QUALIFIED AS FAR AS MAKING DECISIONS, BUT AT WHAT POINT DO
YOU SET THAT LIMIT TO SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE?
>> WELL, SO AT 16, YOU GAIN A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES.
YOU'RE ABLE TO DRIVE, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY -- YOU'RE ABLE TO CONSENT.
YOU'RE ABLE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS AN ADULT IN
COURT. AND AMONG ALL OF THESE THINGS,
YOU ARE TREATED LIKE AN ADULT IN SOME CASES, AND IN OTHERS, YOU
ARE NOT. AND SO, FROM THE AGE OF 16 TO
18, IT'S A VERY FRUSTRATING TIME WHERE YOU'RE EXPECTED TO ACT
LIKE AN ADULT BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OR
RESPONSIBILITY TO VOTE AND TO ACTUALLY HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD
AS AN ADULT. YOU'RE STILL CONSIDERED A CHILD
IN THE EYES OF THE CANDIDATES WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
REPRESENTING US. >> WOULD YOU WANT TO LOWER THE
AGE FOR PEOPLE TO JOIN THE MILITARY?
PEOPLE HAVE RAISED THAT ARGUMENT, WOULD THAT BE
SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALSO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE AN ADULT?
>> IT'S INTERESTING, THAT'S A THROWBACK BECAUSE DURING THE
VIETNAM WAR, OF COURSE, VOTING AGE WAS 21.
THE REASON IT WAS LOWERED TO 18 WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE BEING
DRAFTED, SENT TO WAR AND COMPLETING THEIR TOUR OR EITHER
BEEN KILLED AND HAVING ABSOLUTELY NO SAY, NO AGENCY IN
THE DECISIONS. THERE IS SOMETHING.
THERE IS NOTHING QUITE EQUIVALENT TO THAT BUT WE MAKE
THESE AGE DESIGNATIONS AND WHEN YOU START TO THINK ABOUT
QUALIFICATIONS FOR YOU AND ME TO VOTE, FOR INSTANCE, WE DON'T
HAVE TO BE TAXPAYERS. WE DON'T HAVE TO BE SMART.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE GOOD-LOOKING.
I'M REFERRING TO MYSELF IN ALL OF THESE CASES, BY THE WAY, JUST
SO YOU KNOW. THESE ARE NOT -- THESE ARE NOT
CRITERIA FOR QUALIFICATION FOR VOTING.
IN FACT, ACTUALLY, YOU COULD BE A REPREHENSIBLE PERSON WITH THE
WORST INTENTIONS AND STILL QUALIFY TO VOTE.
SO THE FACT IS, WE STRUGGLE TO TRY AND FIND THE PERFECT AGE,
AND THE CUTOFF POINT, AS YOU SAY, BUT THE THING IS, EXPAND IT
TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S SUSTAINABLE.
16 IS SUSTAINABLE. I MEAN, 14, AT SOME POINT,
APPEARS TO BE A GOOD TIME, FINE. WE'RE NOT THE ONES -- WE DIDN'T
MAKE THIS UP. WE'RE NOT INVENTING THIS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES AND
COUNTRIES THAT ALLOW 16-YEAR-OLDS TO VOTE.
IT HAS THE INTRINSIC VALUE OF HELPING PEOPLE TO MANIFEST THEIR
OWN GOVERNANCE AND THEIR OWN CONTROL.