Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Berkeley council adopts ordinance letting 16- and 17-year-olds vote in school board elections
Summary
The Berkeley City Council voted unanimously at a July 9 special meeting to adopt an ordinance allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in Berkeley Unified School District school board elections and a companion resolution calling the November election; county officials will implement voting logistics and BUSD must cover election costs.
The Berkeley City Council voted July 9 to adopt an ordinance permitting residents ages 16 and 17 to vote in Berkeley Unified School District school board elections and approved a resolution calling the November election.
City staff told the council that Alameda County has tested the technical systems and engaged outside contractors to enable youth voting this fall. “The item before you does two things: it adopts an ordinance permitting voting by persons age 16 and 17 in school board elections, and it adopts a resolution calling for youth voting in the November election,” said Mr. Harvey, the staff presenter. He told council members that the city charter requires that no city funds be used for youth voting and that any election costs must be covered by the school district.
Students and residents urged the council to act. “Being able to vote in school board elections would mean…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
