The town of Brookline, Massachusetts, is looking for state approval to lower the voting age for municipal elections to 16 after the measure was passed at a town meeting.
The decision was approved 142-71 last week, according to CBS Boston. If the state grants approval, 16- and 17-year-olds would be eligible to become town meeting members and to register to vote in local elections.
“These elections directly impact these young people,” said board member Raul Fernandez. “At the age of 16, they can start working and paying taxes on that work.”
He added, “There’s no reason why these young people should not have a say in our politics, and actually giving them a say in our politics will make us even better.”
Others in the town of about 60,000 expressed disapproval with the decision. Some argued that the brains of 16-year-olds are not developed enough to make important decisions on electoral issues.
“Voting is an adult responsibility, and childhood is short enough,” said town meeting member Linda Roseman.
The town will have to wait on a Home Rule Petition to be approved by the Statehouse. The petition allows smaller municipalities to enforce new rules under state law.
