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New Proposition Could Allow 17-year olds to Vote

This election season, California voters will have to consider much more than just presidential candidates. A total of twelve propositions are on the November 3rd ballot, with two of the twelve being related to voting rights. One of the two is Proposition 18, which would amend the California Constitution if passed. This amendment would allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary and special elections, given that they will be 18 at the time of the subsequent general election.

This proposition has evoked various reactions from legislators and Californians. In a Mercury News opinion piece, Rep. Kevin Mullin from the 22nd district of California and Rep. Evan Low from the 28th district of California said that “giving first-time voters the ability to participate in the full election cycle helps young people build a lifelong habit of civic participation. ” 

California’s Secretary of State, Alex Padilla, is also in support of this proposition. Padilla stated in the San Diego Union Tribune that support of this proposition was not about partisanship. He cited eighteen states of varying political affiliations which had “adopted this policy because it’s the right thing to do.” 

However, the California Republican Party says passing this proposition would result in “high school seniors … voting for important tax measures only adults would pay.” Additionally, director of legislative oversight for EIPCa (Election Integrity Project California) Ruth Weiss explained her opposition of Proposition 18 in another San Diego Union Tribune opinion piece. She affirmed the claim of the California Republican Party and expressed her stance through this sentiment: “It is the time to help them [high schoolers] evolve from the self-centeredness of youth to the other-centeredness of mature adulthood. That evolution is not complete until they truly experience the ‘real world.’”

But, all of these opinions leave one question unanswered: What do actual high school students think about Proposition 18? 

One El Camino High School student, Madelyn Sevigny, is a supporter of this proposition. She asserts that “as long as you are going to be 18 … you should be able to have a say” in matters such as primary and special elections. Sevigny also mentions another feature of the U.S. Presidential election: how long it takes. “The US election takes months,” she points out, “and … people should be able to participate in the whole election.”

Another student, Nathaniel Drey from Mira Loma High School, can see both sides of the Proposition 18 debate. Drey says that the proposition should pass “as they [17-year-olds] will be in their 20’s by the next election,” but also acknowledges that this issue is multifaceted. He goes on to explain, saying that the passing of this proposition could lead to “higher chances that due to … their parent’s influence, they [17-year-olds] will likely just vote along with their parents.”

Regardless of opinion, it is important for every eligible voter to vote on propositions such as Proposition 18. These propositions are the groundwork for future Californian legislation. If there is any way to be heard in this vast sea of differing views, it is through casting a ballot. Encourage those around you to vote, and be sure to do so yourself if you are eligible.

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