House advances measure to allow preregistration at 15 years, 9 months; debate centers on civic engagement

The Maryland House of Delegates on Feb. 12, 2025, passed House Bill 153 on third reading, adjusting the age at which young people can preregister to vote from 16 to 15 years, 9 months. The sponsor and subcommittee chair described the change as a three‑month alignment with when many young people obtain learner’s permits and interact with the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA); the clerk recorded 103 votes in the affirmative when the roll was called.

Supporters framed the change as a nonpartisan civic‑engagement measure to make registration more convenient for young people and to increase lifetime voting rates. The subcommittee chair on election law said the bill “is not even about political party” but about simplifying the process at a moment when teenagers interact with the MVA.

Opponents raised concerns about age‑appropriateness, parental involvement and administrative consequences. Several members said they were uncomfortable with 15‑year‑olds affiliating with political parties and questioned why the legislature would move the age earlier. One member expressed concern about state registration rolls remaining current given interstate migration and urged the state to subscribe to national data‑sharing services maintained by organizations such as the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) to keep rolls clean; the subcommittee chair said those topics would be better addressed in separate legislation.

Questions also touched on whether preregistration through the MVA had been in place for years and whether the change would require additional outreach or data‑management steps. The floor leader and the subcommittee chair noted Maryland’s longstanding DMV-based registration process and cited research linking early voter engagement with higher lifetime turnout.

After debate, the House adopted the bill on third reading.