The Newark City Council today voted to lower the voting age to sixteen in school board elections, becoming the first municipality in New Jersey to do so.
The vote came one day after Gov. Phil Murphy announced his support for lowering the voting age to sixteen statewide for Board of Education races.
“This is what democracy looks like – right here in Newark, New Jersey,” said Ryan Haygood, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice president and a staunch advocate for the local ordinance.“More than 7,000 16- and 17-year-olds, 90% of whom are Black and Brown, can now speak for themselves at the ballot box about who will decide everyday school issues that shape their lives.
Adding 16 and 17-year-olds to the voter pool will likely boost turnout; in Newark, where just 3% of voters turned out for the April 2023 school board election, it certainly won’t hurt.
“Today, Newark stands as a leader in democracy in New Jersey,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “Today’s vote will energize our youth and our elections, and our school boards and communities will reap the benefits.”
It’s still not clear whether the Essex County Board of Elections and the New Jersey Division of Elections will be able to work through the technological challenges accompanying the new local voting age.
The deadline to register for the April 16 school board elections is March 26. Election officials will need to figure out how to activate the new registrations, and then deactivate them before the June primary; then, they’ll have to reactivate those voters who are still under age 18 in April 2025.
The new state law allows 17-year-olds to vote in a primary if they turn 18 by the general election, but the Newark ordinance appears to be immediately effective.
The ordinance is silent on the eligibility of 16 and 17-year-olds to run for the school board. The filing deadline is February 26.