By: LaJuan Allen, Vanessa Li, Anya Kleinman | February 20, 2025 | Maryland Matters Link
Image: Signs direct voters to a polling place at Sacred Heart Church in La Plata. (File photo by Angela Breck/Maryland Matters)
In April 2024, the St. Mary’s County Board of Commissioners grappled with a consequential decision: Whether to increase taxes to adequately fund schools or decrease taxes at the potential expense of educational quality, teachers’ salaries, and specialized programs.
This debate divided community members, with one critical group notably absent from the conversation—students. Although the outcomes would directly impact them, students had no vote, no representation, and little say in a matter pivotal to their futures.
This situation highlights a glaring democratic gap: 16- and 17-year-olds are largely affected by decisions that shape their education, communities and futures, yet they remain disenfranchised. Maryland can and should address this inequity by lowering the voting age in local elections, starting a new chapter of democratic inclusion and civic engagement.
As demonstrated by Takoma Park and others, Maryland’s legal framework already lets cities regulate local elections. Under this policy, extending voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds in local elections is very simple and amplifies youth voices in critical issues such as education funding, environmental sustainability and public safety.
