House Leadership Considers Lowering Voting Age

Several key Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives have come out publicly in favor of lowering the age to vote from 18 to 16. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke about the possibility of allowing younger people to vote, according to The Daily Caller . Pelosi told a group of reporters that she would be in favor of lowering the voting age.

The California Democrat continued saying that it's important for kids to vote while they're in high school. She expanded on her thoughts to the Daily Caller, “I think it’s really important to capture kids when they’re in high school when they’re interested in all of this when they’re learning about government to be able to vote.”

Reducing the voting age is on the mind of several states as well as some House Democrats. Oregon Legislators have proposed a bill that would lower the age of voting to 16 from 18, reports CNN.

If a majority of the folk in the Oregon Legislature, along with Oregon's Governor agree, it will be on the docket in 2020. However, not everyone is on board with a voting age of 16.

Oregon Senate Republican leader Herman Baertschiger Jr. tells CNN this bill is not for him.

"16-year-olds are too young to enlist in the military, too young to own firearms, too young to own property, too young to enter into legal contracts, and too young to get married."

Senator Baertschiger continues his points against the bill by saying that 18 is the age when you are considered an adult in America. He believes lowering the voting age would dilute the current pool of registered voters.

Filed Under: Kevin Miller, Nancy Pelosi, newsletter, Voting age 16

Categories: Local News