Thanks to the efforts of the newly formed Fairfax County NYRA chapter, the Fairfax County Democratic Party and grassroots organizations Virginia Democracy Forward and Virginia Civic Engagement Table have endorsed lowering the state voting age to 16.
“16-and-17-year-olds are not allowed to vote even though many of them are politically active and knowledgeable”, says Virginia Democracy Forward. “Virginia Democracy Forward-VADF is endorsing the Virginia Chapter of the National Youth Rights Association’s goal to lower the Virginia voting age to 16.”
“What do you think, Virginia?” asks the Virginia Civic Engagement Table, sharing the Washington Post article on a lower voting age on Facebook.
The campaign to lower Virginia’s voting age is underway as Delegate Sam Rasoul plans to reintroduce HJ33, his bill to allow localities to lower their voting ages, in next year’s General Assembly. His bill did not make it out of committee when he introduced it this year, but now that there is a national movement to lower the voting age it has a much better chance of passing, with the help of NYRA and grassroots groups such as Virginia Democracy Forward and the Virginia Civic Engagement Table.
NYRA-Fairfax County plans to hold its first official meeting this winter.
