Newark Opens School Board Voting to 16 and 17-Year-Olds, First in New Jersey
Newark just made history. Kids who are 16 or 17 can now vote in school board elections, making it the first city in New Jersey to do so. They can start signing up on February 2. This change lets over 7,000 young Newark residents vote in the April 15, 2025 school board election. While students can register until March 25, school officials hope to get registrations done by March 20 to process everything.
“At a time when democracy is under fierce attack, Newark is taking an affirmative step to expand and strengthen our democracy by getting young people involved,” said Mayor Ras J. Baraka to Newark.gov.
This achievement came after hard work from Vote16 supporters. Two programs now help the effort: Student ambassadors show other students how to register, while teachers lead classroom talks about voting rights. At Bethany Baptist Church, the Institute for Social Justice got teens together to help boost voting numbers above the low 3% from previous elections. Their message connected with young people who are ready to vote this spring.
Superintendent Roger León said it simply: “Our students are our future, and there is no better way to have a say in your future than through civic engagement.”
For students Zuri McCune and Devin Mitchell, voting means they can help fix real problems, from fixing buildings to getting more class choices. McCune, who works with the school board, encourages other young people to get involved early.
“We want to be able to make changes as students and we can’t make that footstep forward through the voices of adults only,” said Science Park High School student Devin Mitchell to njspotlightnews.org. “They’re not the ones that live their lives inside the school. We do.”
The new rule only applies to school board elections. Bigger plans to lower New Jersey’s voting age didn’t go anywhere after bills came up last May. Some people worry teens don’t know enough about the government to vote well. Many teachers think schools should teach better government classes to prepare young voters.
Congresswoman LaMonica McIver showed her support: “VOTE16 is a program close to my heart, and I am so proud to address the next generation of change-makers.”
