Some people feel it’s high time to let young voters have their voices heard during the election.

Prop. 18 would revise the California constitution to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they turn 18 by the time the general election arrives and if they are eligible to vote.

Supporters say the measure would engage more young people in elections and allow them to contribute to the democratic process.

There are teens who also believe that this proposition would be useful.

Brandon Cervantes, a 17-year-old from Boyle Heights, said those teenagers who take the time to understand what’s going on during the election should have the right to vote. Others probably won’t make the effort.

“This past school year I had the opportunity to take AP U.S. Government and Politics. In this class, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the key concepts and institutions of our country’s political system along with analyzing and breaking down the U.S. Constitution and other documents,” he said in an email interview.

Cervantes added that Prop. 18 promotes inclusivity of young Californians like himself and could make the election process and outcomes more accurate and more aligned with what people really want.

Some adults also agree with the proposition. For instance, Gerardo Galindo said it would help engage young voters and motivate them to be more aware of the people and the issues they’ll be voting for. And in some cases, they could even help educate their parents or others in their community with less access or time due to work and language barriers, so that they understand how proposals could affect their lives and communities.

Since June 2020, 18 other states, including Washington, D.C., allowed 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the general election to vote in the primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. 

Critics of the proposition say minors will not vote based on their own independent thought, but rather on the influence of parents and teachers. There is research showing that 17-year-olds have not yet fully developed the logic and reasoning part of their brain and therefore, should not be permitted to vote, according to Voter Guide, the state of California’s official voter information guide. For that same reason, the law prohibits this age group from smoking, drinking, and even tanning, opponents note. 

Jesse Pareja, a U.S. Census Bureau field supervisor, does not agree with the ballot measure.

“I don’t think Proposition 18 would have the intended effect we’re all hoping for. Youth voting would still have the same turnout,” he said. “Young adults are still susceptible to the influence of their parents and teachers and more often than not, have not developed enough of an opinion of their own in this political climate to be objective voters. All this seems like…another power grab through an attempt of voter manipulation.” 

Some say young people seem more mature and politically active than ever before in the Information Age and with social media.

For instance, 17-year-old Vianney Castillo said, “Now, more than ever, we can see that the youth are very involved and passionate about choosing who should be elected.”

She added, “Although we are still underage and live with our parents, I strongly believe that by age 17, most of us already have our own views, regardless of how we’ve been raised. I personally have seen how passionate people my age are about voting, as am I, so giving us a chance to vote would be effective.” 

The complete 2020 voter guide is available here.

Community News reporters are enrolled in JOUR 3910 – University Times. They produce stories about under-covered neighborhoods and small cities on the Eastside and South Los Angeles. Please email feedback, corrections and story tips to [email protected].