First, I’d just like to introduce myself, my name is Bryan Jennings and I’m an intern at NYRA’s National Office, cozy little place that it is, here in Washington DC. I’m at American University for the Semester, but I usually go to Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster Pennsylvania. Those interested in knowing more are…
As my time as NYRA’s legal intern comes to a close, I cannot help but look back upon the lessons that I have learned by my experience with NYRA. NYRA has challenged my beliefs and has opened me up to new views and perspectives on several issues. The purpose of this blog entry is to…
When I first read of the opening for an internship with the National Youth Rights Association, I had to read the name twice. “What are Youth Rights?” I asked myself. I believe that I know at least a little about the world. I know that there are children who suffer from starvation and poverty each…
More good voting age news out of Europe: The governing assembly of the central Swiss canton (state) of Glarus decided Sunday to lower to 16 the age at which citizens can participate in local and cantonal elections. Despite heavy rain, the traditional open-air “Landsgemeinde” assembly of citizens approved the proposal by the Young Socialists to…
The Hypocrisy of the Voting Age During the 2006 primary election in Minnesota, 17-year-old Jesse Hunter voted for his first time. Unlike many of his peers, the teenager got an early beginning to fulfilling his civic duties as a citizen. However, he was soon charged with voter fraud – a class one felony in his…
On March 14th, the Austrian government decided to allow sixteen and seventeen year olds to vote in national elections. The effort to lower the voting age had the support of both the liberal and conservative parties in Austria. This is tremendously important, as the young people of Austria will prove to the world that lowering…
Naseem Tarawnah, a Jordanian blogger asks whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 in Jordan: Perhaps one of the biggest aids in encouraging Jordanian youth to get involved in politics is the lowering of the voting age. And I’m not talking about various debate skirmishes in the past few years that finally resulted…
Austria may soon be the first European nation to lower its national voting age to 16. The proposal to lower the age comes from Austria’s “grand coalition” of Social Democrats and the conservative People’s Party following elections on Oct. 1. Currently 16 year olds are able to vote for local elections in many major cities,…
For centuries, our generation has worked and died so that America could move forward. Members of our generation rarely have received credit for our work. Teens have fought and died in the American Revolution, in the Civil War, in the World Wars, in Vietnam and in Iraq. American teens, throughout history have fought for civil…
The 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution sets the federal voting age at 18 years old.  Before this Amendment was enacted, the voting age in most places was 21 years of age. The voting age should again be lowered; this time, to 16 years of age. According to a recent study, 80% of 16-…
