The campaign to lower the voting age in the United States, backed by left-leaning groups, including those linked to billionaire George Soros financing the movement, has already resulted in 16- and 17-year-olds casting votes in Brattleboro, Vermont, on Super Tuesday this month.
The organization Vote16USA.org is leading the campaign and is backed by Generation Citizen, a group funded by liberal donors with deep pockets. Donors include the Soros-linked group, the Jennifer and Jonathan Allan Soros Foundation, the Bezos Family Foundation, The New York City Council, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, according to the organization’s 2023 annual report.
FairVote, which is also funded by Soros groups and other left-leaning organizations, is also pushing to lower the legal voting age.
While liberal groups believe 16- and 17-year-olds should be able to cast a ballot in local elections, research shows many youth voters are not informed about politics and are grappling with mental health issues.
The poll was focused on youth voters aged 18 to 34 and found they are extremely likely to vote for Democrat candidates. Whether that is a result of influence by teachers or parents is unclear.
Despite the voting habits of the youth and their lack of knowledge on issues, Vote16USA has made great strides in several years to lower the voting age, and not just in Brattleboro. Currently, five cities/towns in Maryland passed similar measures, with the small town of Cheverly approving a charter amendment in January.
In Oakland, California, students who are 16 are now allowed to vote in school board elections. Vote16USA touts several active campaigns underway in other states and cities including in Michigan, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Illinois, Washington D.C., Hawaii, and three cities in California.
In addition, federal legislation was introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) to lower the voting age to 16.
In New Jersey’s largest city, the City Council of Newark voted unanimously last month on an ordinance to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in local school board elections and two students led the charge with Vote16USA’s guidance.
New Jersey Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy, who signed a law allowing 17-year-olds to vote in a primary if they will be 18 by the election, is poised to pass a voting rights bill.
In his recent State of the State speech, Mr. Murphy said he is ready to lower the voting age statewide to 16 and 17 and acknowledged two young leaders present during his speech who are linked to Vote16USA and who started the state website.
Mr. Murphy also thanked state Sen. Brian Stack for sponsoring Bill S4173, which would lower the voting age in the state. Mr. Stack did not respond to several requests for comment, nor did several other Democrat lawmakers. Mr. Murphy’s office responded to a request for comment with quotes from his State of the State Speech.
But three New Jersey lawmakers interviewed explained why they were opposed to giving minors the right to vote.
Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (R-Middletown), when asked if he favored lowering the voting age, told The Epoch Times, “absolutely 100 percent not. Simply put, 16- and 17-year-olds don’t pay property taxes, have very little to no knowledge of complex issues. They don’t have life experiences to cast an informed vote.
“It’s frightening to think you would entrust someone who is not quite ready in their mid-teens to make such serious decisions like that,” Mr. Scharfenberger said, adding that “voting is a very important, complex duty...at that age, I don’t think they are ready to make an informed vote.
State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver) echoed the assemblyman’s view, saying he is against lowering the voting age. He told the Epoch Times: a “maturity level that takes a turn at 18 years old and 21 years old. I don’t think they are at that level.”
Mr. O’Scanlon added those aged 16 and 17 are not taxpayers. “Representation without taxation—they don’t pay any taxes.” He said they could have influence on several issues, including “passing budgets on people who do pay taxes.” He added that children that age would be dramatically impacted by parents and would not be viewed as independent voters.
Mr. Scharfenberger, who taught for 25 years at the college level, said his interaction with young students at that level showed they were minimally equipped with a thorough understanding of government and issues. Many times, they lacked the knowledge needed to make an informed decision. His experience is aligned with the findings from the Tufts poll.
“The other states that are doing this —there’s more to it than the pontification to have their voices heard,” he said. “We should not play games with this and do something for the unimportant reason for getting more votes.”
According to Pew Research, the youngest Americans tend to vote for Democrats. Their research showed age is strongly associated with voting preference in elections. Nearly 7 in 10 voters under 30 (68 percent) supported Democrat candidates in 2022, much higher than older voters.
Both Mr. Scharfenberger and Mr. O’Scanlon questioned the motives for lowering the voting age, indicating the goal could be to manipulate young voters to vote for one party over another. They said they would vote no if the legislation came to the floor.
State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth) also said he opposes lowering the voting age in the state, and he emphasized that the age of 18 is when adulthood is recognized.
“The age of 18 is when youth become adults, and that’s when voting is,” Mr. Gopal told The Epoch Times, adding that the focus should be on getting 18- and 19-year-olds out to vote. He added that “it will cause a lot of confusion, to say they can vote in one election and not another.” He questioned how the process would even work, and if there would be different ballots. “I don’t know how practical it is.”
While Mr. Gopal indicated the governor and other lawmakers in the state support lowering the voting age, he would vote no if it came to a vote.
The question of whether New Jersey students have knowledge of civics, which is the study of how the government works and the rights of citizenship, was previously an issue with the Murphy administration. The governor signed Laura Wooten’s Law, requiring a civics course to graduate middle school as he realized the instruction was lacking for students. The requirement began in the 2022–23 school year as a result of the legislation.
The proficiency scores in civics for eighth graders were just as abysmal, with only 22 percent of scoring at or above proficient level, and 31 percent scoring below basic. Scoring below basic in civics means these students cannot describe the structure and function of government.
These eighth-graders were 13 to 14 when they were tested in 2022 and now would be eligible to vote under the influence of Vote16USA.
“Why 16? Why not 11? Where does it stop? It’s a legitimate question,” Mr. O’Scanlon asked. He said it does not surprise him that “left-leaning organizations” are in favor of this, as he believes “they feel they can influence the youth.”
