At a Tuesday registration drive featuring Gov. Phil Murphy, dozens of Newark teens registered to vote in next month’s school board elections, which will be the first in state history to allow 16- and 17-year-old residents to vote.
The event at the Newark School of Data Science and Information Technology was part of Murphy’s ongoing push to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in nonpartisan school board elections throughout the state.
Joining the governor Tuesday were First Lady Tammy Murphy, Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-Newark), Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark), but the crowd of about 250 teenagers roared loudest for rapper A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.
Leaders hope the new policy will empower youth involvement in politics and boost the paltry turnout rate in spring school board elections. Newark’s council approved the ordinance last year, but officials didn’t implement the policy until this year because of technological and logistical issues.
Murphy touted a bill before the Legislature that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds in the state to vote in their respective school board elections. Murphy said he was confident he will be able to sign the bill into law before the end of his gubernatorial term next January.
“I don’t want to speak for the legislators, but it wouldn’t be something that we’re associating ourselves so closely if I didn’t have a high degree of confidence that it would get there,” Murphy told reporters. “When you say it to folks and they’re hearing it for the first time, it really connects.”
Newark’s ordinance, as well as the proposed state legislation, only allows youth to vote in nonpartisan school board elections. The age 18 requirement would remain for municipal, state, and federal elections.
Tucker, one of the bill’s sponsors in the Assembly, said she’s going to continue the push to make New Jersey the first state with 16- to 17-year-old voting.
“I’m just so proud that I have had the chance to take a part in this,” Tucker said. “So we’re looking for you all at the polls, I’ll be coming around to every polling place in Newark to make sure I see you young people out there voting.”
The bill hasn’t been voted on in either chamber.
Murphy is going all-in on youth voting: The governor proposed to spend $1 million to help school districts and municipalities implement the policy during his final budget address last month. If approved by the legislature, the $1 million could be used for voter education, relevant IT expenditures, and other related spending.
Another high-profile supporter of youth voting is Senator Cory Booker.
“The City of Newark is leading the way in strengthening youth voting rights by empowering 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in their local school board elections,” the Democratic senator said in a release. “Allowing young people to have a say in the issues that impact them day-to-day ensures that their perspectives are taken into account, helping shape both their education and their community.”
Next Tuesday is the deadline for Newarkers who hope to vote in next month’s school board elections.
A Boogie Wit da Hoodie did not perform, but he did jump around to his hit single “Look Back At It” with the teens after imploring them to register to vote.
“We didn’t have the same opportunities,” the artist told the students. “So man, let’s keep on setting trends.”
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