Bill > H4241

This bill grants 16 and 17-year-old residents of the town of Whately the ability to vote in local municipal elections, despite being under the standard voting age. Under this legislation, these young residents can apply to have their names added to a special voter registration list maintained by the town's board of registrars, allowing them to participate in local office elections and local ballot questions. The board of registrars will create a separate registration process for these "local voters" with a special registration form, and each individual will be removed from the list and notified to register as a regular voter once they turn 18. The bill explicitly states that these local voting rights do not extend to state or federal elections, and the town of Whately is authorized to pass ordinances to implement this new voting mechanism in accordance with its town charter. The town will be responsible for any associated expenses, such as printing separate ballots for local questions that appear on state election ballots. This bill represents an innovative approach to youth civic engagement by lowering the local voting age in a specific municipality.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4241