When residents in San Francisco cast their vote for President of the United States this November, they will also be deciding — for the second time in four years — whether 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote in future local elections.
Although San Francisco voters turned down a similar proposal in 2016, Vote 16 activists believe the measure will pass this time and bring about an array of societal benefits.
“I really think that Vote 16 will help youth of color in San Francisco establish the habit of voting at an earlier age, and really provide them with the support and the resources that they need to continue building on that habit as they grow older,” Crystal Chan, an 18-year old organizer for Vote 16 SF, told NBC News.
Back in the 2016 election, the measure narrowly failed to pass by about 2% of the vote.
The Vote 16 SF website lists four reasons to vote for the measure: Young people should have the opportunity to build the habit, young people between 16 and 17 are already ready to vote, young people already have a vested interest in politics, and young people should have the opportunity to “strengthen” their civics education. – READ MORE
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