LOWERING THE VOTING AGE: GIVING YOUNG COLORADANS A VOICE
I originated the advocacy that 16-year-olds should have a say in government because this world is much different than when I was their age. If you’re old enough to drive a car, work a job, and pay taxes, you’re old enough to vote on the leaders who make decisions about your future.
Today’s young people face challenges we never imagined: climate change, AI transformation of the job market, student debt crisis, and housing costs that make homeownership seem impossible. They deserve a voice in shaping solutions to problems that will define their entire lives.
My Plan:
- Lower the voting age to 16 for all Colorado elections
- Optional voter registration requirement for high school graduation – not mandatory, but encouraged as part of civic education
- Comprehensive civics education that prepares young voters to make informed decisions
- Student voice in education policy – those affected by education decisions should help make them
This isn’t radical – it’s common sense. Sixteen-year-olds today are more informed, more engaged, and more affected by government decisions than many adults who don’t bother to vote. If we trust them to drive, work, and contribute to society, we should trust them to help choose their leaders.
The world has changed dramatically since I was 16, and young Coloradans understand today’s challenges in ways my generation cannot. It’s time to give them the voice they’ve earned.
