Culver City To Decide Tuesday Whether 16-Year-Olds Can Vote: Report

CULVER CITY, CA – On Tuesday, voters will decide whether 16-and-17-year-olds will be given the opportunity to vote thanks to a Culver City ballot initiative called Measure VY, according to a Los Angeles Times report.

If the measure passes, Culver City will become one of just a few communities in the United States to allow people as young as 16 to vote.

“Measure VY would expand the local voting age here in Culver City to 16,” Culver City High School senior Meighan-Thiel told the outlet. “By really involving people in democracy from a young age, a value of participation will be instilled in them so going forward they’ll be much more habitual, well-informed voters.”

Opinions on the initiative are varied. According to the Los Angeles Times, supporters argue that at 16, a person can drive, get a job, and pay taxes; even as teenagers, they are affected by decisions that are being made solely by adult voters. Meanwhile, the outlet reports that opponents worry a 16-and-17-year-old’s mind is malleable to the extent that they are easily influenced by swirling opinions and they are not old enough to make fully-informed decisions.

To date, people as young as 16 can only vote in all local elections in Greenbelt, Maryland, Hyattsville, Maryland, Riverdale Park, Maryland, and Takoma Park, Maryland, according to the National Youth Rights Association.

Read the full report in The Los Angeles Times.

Polls open nationwide for this year’s election on Tuesday.