The leader of Australia’s opposition Labor Party says the country’s voting age should be lowered to 16. In a speech last week, Bill Shorten said, “Young Australians like you deserve the right to shape the laws and policies that shape your lives. … I believe young people want to be involved in decision-making processes —…
It is happening! District of Columbia Councilmembers Charles Allen, Brianne Nadeau and David Grosso today are introducing a bill today to lower the voting age to 16 in DC elections. Washington, DC would be the largest city in the nation to have a 16-year-old voting age. NYRA-DC has been working with local activist Michelle Blackwell from…
The District of Columbia is the newest front in the ongoing campaign to lower the voting age to 16. NYRA partner, OUR C.A.P.S. (Community Alliance for Peaceful Streets), kicked off their campaign to lower the DC voting age on Friday. Armed with stats and arguments provided by NYRA, this new group is bringing this issue…
For the first time since the election age was lowered to 16 for local elections in Takoma Park, these new voters had an opportunity to vote last Tuesday. And guess what? They showed up! Turnout among 16- and 17-year-olds in Tuesday’s election for mayor and Council members was four times higher than overall turnout, according…
NYRA Members elected a new Board of Directors. Congratulations to returning board members Jaylen Bledsoe, Keith Mandell, Katrina Moncure and Jeffrey Nadel, and welcome to new board members Jeff Buterbagh, Alexander Cohen, Amy O’Connel, Victoria Minerva RodrÃguez Roldán, and Brad White. The Board of Diectors elected new officers: Jaylen Bledsoe (President); Brad White (Vice President); Victoria Minerva…
For years, NYRA has worked to find one state or one community that would finally allow people younger than 18 to vote. On May 13, 2013 we achieved a breakthrough: Takoma Park, Maryland voted to be the first US city with a voting age of 16. “Other nations, from Argentina to Austria, have allowed 16-year-olds…
*** Update 5/13/13: We did it! *** Takoma Park, MD is poised to become the first city in America to let 16-year-olds vote. To make such a change, the city council must go through three public ceremonies. First, a public hearing where members of the public give their views on the proposal. Second, a vote…
*** Update: We’re winning. *** NYRA has long fought for a lower voting age, and we may soon have a breakthrough right on Washington, DC’s border. Takoma Park, Maryland is now considering a proposal to let 16-year-olds vote in local elections. If this succeeds, we may soon see other cites lose their fear of enfranchising…
Update: winner chosen! On social media, people love to share pictures that are interesting, funny, or make a good point quickly. An image that says something about youth rights could make a real impact if it goes viral. So NYRA is inviting youth rights activists to submit images for our meme contest. Make a graphic…
A group of youth rights activists offered NYRA a matching grant, matching dollar-for-dollar individual donations that reached NYRA in December. They set a cap of $1,300, never imagining that NYRA’s members, most of them students, would be able to raise that much in just a few weeks. Well, guess what. NYRA’s membership maxed that mother…
