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City Council Approves Lowering Voting Age In Somerville Elections
SOMERVILLE, MA — Somerville is poised to become the first community in Massachusetts to have a voting age of 16. The city council unanimously voted Thursday night to extend voting rights in local elections to 16- and 17-year-olds, according to Mayor Joseph Curtatone.
"It's a recognition these students are engaged & active citizens, with the biggest possible stake in our collective future," Curtatone tweeted Friday.
He added, "Extra thought: We want to make local engagement and democratic participation lifelong habits for our student population."
The lowered voting age would only apply to local elections and not state or federal races.
SOMERVILLE, MA — Somerville is poised to become the first community in Massachusetts to have a voting age of 16. The city council unanimously voted Thursday night to extend voting rights in local elections to 16- and 17-year-olds, according to Mayor Joseph Curtatone.
"It's a recognition these students are engaged & active citizens, with the biggest possible stake in our collective future," Curtatone tweeted Friday.
He added, "Extra thought: We want to make local engagement and democratic participation lifelong habits for our student population."
The lowered voting age would only apply to local elections and not state or federal races.