Should 16 And 17 Year Olds Be Able To Vote In Colorado?
That's the question facing voters in Golden, Colorado.
The City Council in Golden voted to allow voters to decide if 16 year olds can vote in local elections.
Those in favor say it begins a habit that lasts a lifetime, and as a result are less likely to not vote later in life. The officials in Golden state the program has worked well in other communities and are hopeful it will work in Golden.
While they teens wold still not be able to vote in national elections, local elections would be opened to them.
Support is divided, as you can imagine, with many people saying young people that age lack the maturity to lend their voices to local issues such as taxation. Many others feel the decisions made affect everyone, and so they should be allowed to voice their opinions.
How about Western Colorado? How would allowing those 16 and 17 years of age to vote in local elections affect us here? Is this something we would ever consider?
There are many young people who are more than mature enough to voice their feelings in a local election.We will see if it works they way everyone hopes it will.