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Paterson student interns urge council to support allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections
Summary
A group of student interns and a councilman presented a case at the May 13 workshop asking Paterson leaders to support lowering the voting age for school board elections to 16, citing Newark's recent change and student survey results about civic knowledge and school preparedness.
Students from Paterson public schools addressed the council May 13 urging local leaders to back allowing 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds to vote in school board elections, following Newark’s ordinance change and a months‑long advocacy project by the interns.
Councilman Furiudin introduced the interns and their legislative aide, and said the group had been studying municipal rules and comparative practice in other cities. "These youngsters are not just in the classroom or learners, they are our future leaders," he said while introducing the presenters.
Student speaker Noelia Pilar, who identified herself as a senior at John F. K. High School, described classroom experience and argued that the city’s schools were not providing depth in reading and analysis. "In my last four years... this is my first time in my four years of high school that I have touched a physical book and read past one page," Pilar said. She and the interns reported survey results from John F. Kennedy High School and Eastside High School showing 30% of students felt prepared for college and that 50% did not know who sits on the local board of education.
The interns noted that Newark amended its municipal law in early 2024 to allow 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds to vote in school board elections; they described Newark as the first New Jersey city to do so. The students asked Paterson officials to study the policy change and to express support if the council could not directly enact the change itself.
No formal motion or vote followed the presentation; students asked the council for public support and for the administration or council to explore legislative avenues. Council members applauded the interns’ involvement; several members said they would review the issue and the students’ materials.
The students framed their request as an opportunity to increase student engagement in decisions that directly affect classroom instruction, graduation preparation and board composition.
