Lower the Minimum Voting Age in Minnesota to 16 Years of Age

 

The purpose of this bill is to change the minimum voting age in all elections within Minnesota from 18 to 16 years of

age. This bill encompasses all state-wide elections in Minnesota and all elections at a smaller scale than state-wide in

Minnesota. This bill does not encompass federal elections.

 

With pressing current issues that particularly affect youth such as climate change, artificial intelligence, gun

violence, and more on the rise, it has become clear that young people need to have a say in these controversial topics.

People who are 16 years of age and older are mature enough to make the important decision of deciding who or what to

vote for. A study of survey data in Austria, where the minimum voting age has been 16 since 2007, showed that 16- and

17-year-olds are able to make political decisions that reflect their own interests at the same level as those in older

age groups. The political maturity of people aged 16 and 17 was also shown to be not significantly different from the

political maturity of those 18 and 19 years old, as a study of four different countries in South America with a minimum

voting age of 16 found. Additionally, this bill will increase voter turnout by helping people build the habit of voting

earlier in their lives. A study in the American Journal of Political Science found that a person who votes in one

election is more likely to vote in future elections. This bill will increase youth engagement in the government, raising

a new generation of people who feel empowered to participate in politics and make their voices heard in important

decisions that affect their lives.

 

Minimum voting age: the lowest age at which a person is legally allowed to vote

 

The funding to account for a potential increase in voter turnout will be provided through the existing Minnesota Voting

Operations, Technology, and Election Resources (VOTER) Account.

 

The penalty for any person found to have attempted or succeeded at preventing a person between 16 and 18 years of age

from voting in an election within Minnesota on the basis of age shall be sentenced to one year of imprisonment.

 

Upon passage