A teenager in Lawrence, Massachusetts, is proposing a major change to amplify young voices.
Julio Mejia, an 18-year-old school committee member for the Greater Lawrence Technical High School, recently became the youngest elected official in city history.
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Mejia hopes to continue making history by allowing people as young as 16 to vote in city elections, submitting a proposal to the Lawrence City Council.
"I believe that the younger population, under 18, is much more engaged than ever before," Mejia said.
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He knew from a young age that he wanted to help make a change. Now, he wants the same for the younger community in Lawrence.
"I started engaging in political campaigns when I was 14 years old, so I believe there are younger people out there that have that desire to get involved," he said. "They're getting involved in political campaigns, they are contributing to their communities."
Similar proposals have passed in cities like Boston and Somerville, but currently sit in the state legislature.
Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia sponsored that petition.
"Young people as early as 16 or 17 are here working and paying taxes, and oftentimes are participating in democracy through civic organizing or protests," she said.
"It allows young people to participate in their communities when they are central members of the community and have key insights and are experts on certain issues in their communities," said Abby Kiesa, deputy director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE.
With a lower voting age, Julio Mejia hopes the city will have a better voter turnout. In the last municipal elections, he says only 11% submitted a ballot.
"Set the tone that anything is possible with the younger generation and that our city is full of opportunity," he said.
Mejia says this proposal was sent to the city's ordinance subcommittee for discussion and will then be sent to the city council for a final vote. If approved, it will be sent to the state legislature.
