Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Suffrage topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Vice mayor proposes exploring lower municipal voting age to 16; council backs education component
Summary
Vice Mayor Jerry Burgess proposed drafting an ordinance to lower Brentwood's municipal voting age to 16; council members voiced support in principle and emphasized coupling any change with civic-education and outreach to boost youth turnout.
Vice Mayor Jerry Burgess introduced a preliminary idea to draft an ordinance lowering Brentwood's municipal voting age to 16, asking the council for initial feedback and offering to work with the town attorney to prepare possible language.
"I'm proposing that we lower our voting age to 16," Burgess said, describing the move as part of broader efforts to engage young people in civic life. He noted other nearby municipalities have taken similar steps and urged an education component to accompany any ordinance.
Council members voiced support in principle. One council member said a public-education partner or a high-school government teacher should be involved to ensure youth understand the voting process. Vice Mayor Burgess and others recommended pairing any ordinance with civic-engagement programming and offered to draft a formal proposal for future meetings.
What happens next: Burgess will work with the town attorney to draft ordinance language and incorporate education and outreach plans; the item will return for a more substantive discussion at a later meeting.
Why it matters: Lowering municipal voting ages can increase youth participation and requires the council to consider the legal and administrative steps and the public-education needed to ensure meaningful turnout.
