The youth of Cambridge, MA are engaged, informed, and ready to give a great amount back to our city. However, the fact remains that 16 and 17-year olds in Cambridge have no ability to directly affect the issues that directly involve their lives. The voting age should be lowered in local Cambridge elections to 16.

Letting 16 and 17-year olds vote in local elections provides many benefits. Firstly, the issue directly correlates with the education civics. Students at this age have usually taken a local government class in high school and learned about responsibilities of being involved in the community, but linking these lessons to actually voting in local elections can contribute to a lifetime of voter habit and a more informed public.

Besides this fact, 16 and 17-year olds have local issues that affect them and they have worked part-time jobs and pay taxes. Many have issues that concern them as it relates to local public transit, education policy, or even local regulation, and they deserve to have a voice in the decisions concerning these matters.

There have been numerous examples of this policy working: In Takoma Park, Maryland, young voters turned out in higher numbers and engaged with their community after the city lowered their voting age to 16. Similar policy changes in Hyattsville, Maryland, have given proof that young voters become engaged, active constituents that help guide their city in positive ways.

Join us in advocating for this necessary change. Sign this petition to support our local representatives in changing the law so that Cambridge residents aged 16 and 17 may vote in local elections.