The logo for the Ring app. I think it is time for a more organized, collaborative effort to lower the voting age to 16– collaboration between local & national efforts.
Rather than repeat many of the same points I mentioned in last month’s post regarding the vote 16 movement, I would like to talk about a new platform, one that will unite local efforts, like those that have succeeded in Albany, CA last year, to more national efforts, like we’ve seen with House Joint Resolution 16 as well as other national groups. It will be on the RingApp.
For years, I have tried to bring different groups across the country together to collaborate on some form of national messaging to lower the voting age to 16, but that has been difficult because of not only the different kinds of efforts being undertaken (general elections/school board elections) but also the vast geographic regions involved(multiple efforts across many cities in several states across both coasts as well as efforts in the midwest). Adding to that challenge is finding individuals among various organizations that may not be focused on lowering the voting age to 16, but are sympathetic to the idea or have expressed support. However, that challenge to unite us with the common goal of empowering young people no matter their location within the United States has just been bridged- through the Ring app. I will highlight the case for the app below.
Years ago, when I worked with another smaller group, the RingCentral app, or Ring for short, was heavily used for communication. Unfortunately, because membership was so small, with many members now having left the group and general inactivity brought on by the pandemic, it has fallen into disuse, so I no longer have access to it. However, I appreciated both the simplicity as well as the utility value of the Ring app. I think it can prove effective as a platform for supporters of lowering the voting age. Now, I want to build a national coalition of allies, supporters, activists & others with an interest in lowering the national voting age in order to make the country even better.
Earlier this year, a new version of the House Joint Resolution 16 Bill that was previously championed by Rep. Grace Meng of NY, has been introduced to the House of Representatives. It is unfortunate that the previous bill never received a vote in Congress, despite national efforts to bring attention to the bill(more on that below). However with this new bill, that means the efforts to continue empowering young people with a vote, potentially enfranchising a newer, younger bloc of voters in the next set of election cycles, can continue to be mobilized. This also means that there’s plenty of work that needs to be done, requiring the help of people of various levels to pitch in. This is why it is crucial that there be some platform where supporters of the voting age efforts can convene on, rather than work separately.
With successes in Albany, CA but also cities like Berkeley & Oakland finally being able to start their voting processes, albeit for the school board level, as well as Newark in New Jersey which has joined that list of cities with some form of youth suffrage, we now have a little more than a dozen cities that have empowered young people even more than the average city across the country.
But that’s still not enough. We need more young voices involved in politics. That’s why we need more of an effort on the part of non-politicians to be supportive of bills like HJR16, supportive of local efforts, more media coverage, etc. Without these elements, we will continue to see repeat cycles of 2024’s elections again, and again, and again- next to no representation of young people nor of their issues.
With the help of several contacts in the field who are supportive of lowering the voting age to 16, I along with their networks are slowly but surely building a national resource hub for all supporters of lowering the voting age, whether you’re an organization director, a politician aid, a member of a supportive youth organization or someone who has just joined the effort- we want you to join our movement.
I’m not that hard to reach- I help run the account featured in this post that was liked by Rep. Grace Meng, the same author of the previous bill as well as the is current version of HJR 16. You can send me a DM there. Not on X/Twitter? I’m well-known in the voting age effort circles, so they can likely connect you to me by email. You can also comment on this blog if you’d like to reach out.
What we supporters of lowering the voting age do between now & the next election that counts, and potentially affect the next set of elections, will largely depend on how effectively we collaborate as people who support empowering young people in the near future. While there had been national efforts to bring attention to the issue, many unfortunately do not continue for one reason or another. This is sadly disappointing for not just the young people who go without a vote, but also the communities that need their voices. Democracy as it is today cannot keep ignoring the voices of young people if it is to see any hope of improving. The way things are, it would be miraculous if we even have a semblance of democracy left in the next few years with the way things are going- let alone imagine how things might go the next few years.
Without collaboration, we will accomplish nothing- nothing will get better, nothing will improve. Just more of the same. I cannot accomplish this alone, nor can any organization no matter how big can do this alone. We all need each other’s help, but we also need to help each other in a coordinated, collaborative manner.
Happy President’s Day weekend to those reading today, or have a great week for everyone else.
-Jester Jersey
#16ToVoteAdvocacyProject 