If you’re a teenager looking to be involved in politics, this is your lucky year. The Guam Legislature recently passed Substitute Bill No. 279-33, which grants individuals who are 17 on the date of a primary election the ability to vote in that primary, as long as the individual will be 18 on the date of the general election that immediately follows. “I think this bill is a great idea,” says Shania Spindel, a Guam Youth Congress representative. “It will be our generation that will be experiencing what the next representatives have to offer.” The new bill will be applied to Guam’s upcoming primary on Aug. 27.
The bill was implemented to encourage and incorporate youths into the voting population and increase voter turnout. Online registration has also recently become available in order to reach this same goal.
“We hope that the new legislation increases voter turnout and that the new online voter registration brings a lot of new young voters,” says Maria Pangelinan, executive director of the Guam Election Commission. “I’ve already noticed quite a few young people getting involved in politics and I really hope that growth continues.”
Full Article: Small change, big impact: Some 17-year-olds can vote.