New Jersey residents who are 16 and 17 would be able to vote in school board elections, under a bill introduced this week in the state Legislature.
The bill, S3240, mirrors an ordinance passed in January in Newark, and comes in response to Gov. Phil Murphy’s wish, expressed in his State of the State address, to lower the voting age in school board elections. He noted two Westfield students inspired him to support the move.
“I know, to some, this proposal may sound unconventional. But voting is a lifelong habit. And studies show that, if a person votes in one election — they are more likely to turn out in the next election,” the governor said. “So, encouraging our young neighbors to engage with democracy, is really about encouraging them to become lifelong voters.”
The bill, sponsored by Sens. Brian Stack and Raj Mukherji, both D-Hudson, is the first of its kind in the nation, according to the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice.
The students Murphy mentioned, Anjali Krishnamurti, a freshman at Harvard University, and Yenjay Hu, a senior at Westfield High School, are the co-founders of VOTE16NJ, which has partnered with the institute and the New Jersey NAACP.
They said in a joint statement, “The introduction of this bill will amplify the voices of passionate New Jersey youth to discuss issues they have a direct stake in. Just as New Jersey led the fight to enfranchise 18-year-olds just over 50 years ago, we hope that the future passage of this bill will serve as an example for states across the country.”
Breanna Campbell, a student at Science Park High School in Newark who had testified before the Newark City Council about the local bill, said she found that advocacy work rewarding.
“I’m excited to see the idea taking hold on the state level,” she said.
Micauri Vargas, a lawyer with the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, noted, “Whether it’s what they learn, discrimination or even how safe they are from gun violence, 16- and 17-year-olds are directly affected by the policies enacted by their school boards, yet have no say in who makes them.”
“Once this bill becomes law, that will change and these young people will have a voice at the ballot box — a win-win for them and our democracy overall,” she said.
The bill, introduced Monday, would require the New Jersey Secretary of State to create registration forms, designate verifiable forms of identification for students to register to vote, and design ballots for teens that show only school board members, as they would not be allowed to vote for other candidates.
The Democrat-backed measure has not yet been up for discussion in the Legislature. A similar bill Murphy signed earlier this year — which allows 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections so long as they turn 18 by the general election — was opposed by many Republican lawmakers in the state. Opponents of that measure have voiced concerns about whether 17-year-olds are engaged enough in government and politics to vote.
NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Tina Kelley may be reached at tkelley@njadvancemedia.com.
