Last year, a bill (LD 706) to lower the voting age to 16 was proposed in the Maine legislature. This bill sparked a youth-led campaign and conversations across the state. With several cities across the United States lowering their voter count to 16 — San Francisco, Mt. Rainier, and Takoma Park to name a few — we expect this movement to continue in the coming years.
To explore this issue, we're launching a new League study to examine the impact of lowering the voting age in Maine.
SCOPE OF STUDY
We plan to explore the following questions:
- What is our position on lowering the voting age to 16?
- How does this impact Maine’s voting system?
- At the municipal level?
- At the state legislative level?
Join our Study Committee! Our first committee meeting is on Tuesday, March 22 from 6:00-7:00 PM. Interested? RSVP by emailing allyson@lwvme.org.
RATIONAL: WHY NOW?
The League of Women Voters was born near the end of the multigenerational struggle for the expansion of voting rights to women. One hundred years later, it's almost incomprehensible that full participation in our democracy was denied to women for so long. Opponents to suffrage argued on completely unscientific grounds that women were intellectually inferior to men. Yikes! Fifty years ago, opposition to lowering the national voting age to 18 was based on unproven claims that 18-year-olds were too irresponsible and politically immature to be allowed to vote.
Like 50 years ago, opponents argue that 16-year-olds are too young for the responsibilities of voting. Peer research to back this up is inconclusive:
- In a 2006 paper, researchers found that 16-year-olds were politically less mature than older voters.
- Their work was rebutted in a 2010 article, which argues that young adults at 16 (but not before) are equally as mature in citizenship as 18-year-olds.
PROCESS: WHAT TO EXPECT
While this question and movement are gaining momentum around the country, the national League of Women Voters doesn't have a position on this topic. We're starting from scratch and tackling this question, but as an organization, we have to do it the League way. This means that we'll conduct a consensus study to formulate a new policy. At the conclusion of the study, we should have a position that reflects a broad spectrum of views among our membership.
We'll be compiling materials that may include: articles, pro and con statements, data, internet references, multimedia files, training materials, and more. The purpose of this work is to make a thorough and balanced presentation of all issues of the study and prepare League members for the consensus process.
Allyson Gardner is chairing this committee and actively looking for a co-chair and other volunteers to join this team. We hope that the work can be accomplished before fall of this year.
The first meeting of the Study Committee will be held on Tuesday, March 22nd, at 6 PM. While this may not be the permanent time for this committee to meet, this time allows for interested young people and students to join. If you're interested in working on this important issue but can’t make those times, please let us know.
Email questions or interest to allyson@lwvme.org.