Victory! Senate Bill 8, the New Mexico Voting Rights Act, has just been passed in the Senate Rules Committee. There’s still work to be done, though, as enfranchisement for 16-year-olds has been stripped from the bill.
Why do 16-year-olds deserve to vote in school board elections? 16-year-olds work and pay taxes (no taxation without representation, right?). Youth are leading social movements in climate action, gun violence prevention, anti-racism, and more. Their daily lives are directly impacted by decisions made on their school boards. Ultimately, 16-year-olds are contributing members of society who are worthy of agency over their own education, and their own lives.
Young New Mexicans are the future of our state, so it’s only fair that they have a say in that future. Plus, voting earlier on in life will build a strong foundation for a lifetime of civic engagement.
For LGBTQ youth, however, 16-year-old enfranchisement on SB8 isn’t just a matter of building a better future. It’s an urgent, immediate issue.
Every day, trans students are hearing their dead names used in classrooms, and trans athletes are being forced off of school sports teams. Every day, LGBTQ youth are watching their very existence be debated in school board meetings across the state. Shouldn’t they have a say in the elected officials sitting on those boards?
Additionally, LGBTQ youth are especially vulnerable to homelessness, and municipal governments make the key decisions about resource distribution to homelessness programs.
Young New Mexicans deserve a say in their education and the elected officials making decisions about their schooling. Ask your legislators to put 16-year-old voting back in SB8!