HOME RULE LEGISLATION / LOWERING THE VOTING AGE TO 16 IN LOCAL ELECTIONS 

To see if the Town will vote to authorize and request the Select Board to file Home Rule Legislation to petition the State Legislature to allow Arlington to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 for municipal elections; or take any action related thereto.

Voted (4-0) - Mr. Helmuth recused himself. The Board engaged in a robust discussion about this article. The Board first heard from the proponent.

Ms. Mahon inquired whether the proponent did any outreach to determine the interest of her peers on this issue, as well as participation in Town warrant articles. The proponent explained that she collected signatures for a petition in support of Article 22 from both students and teachers. The proponent further explained that students are eager to be more engaged in politics and passage of special legislation lowering the voting age to 16 in local elections would serve that purpose.

The Board heard public comments both in support of and in opposition to the Article. First, the Board heard from State Representative Sean Garballey (“Rep. Garballey”) in support of the special legislation, who noted that he has filed similar legislation (H.686) to codify lowering the voting age to 16 in local elections statewide. Rep. Garballey thanked members of the Board, including Mr. Diggins, with whom he had worked closely on this issue. Rep. Garballey noted that other Massachusetts towns and municipalities have filed similar legislation, including Cambridge and Boston.

The Board also heard opposition to the Article during public comment.

Ms. Mahon noted that the proposed special legislation was for local elections only, which was most appropriate at this time.

That the Town does and hereby authorizes the Select Board to file Home Rule Legislation to allow Arlington to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 for municipal elections; or take any action related thereto; so that the Home Rule Legislation reads as follows:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

ORDERED: That a petition to the General Court, accompanied by a bill for a special law relating to the Town of Arlington to be filed with an attested copy of this order be, and hereby is, approved under Clause 1 of Section 8 of Article II, as amended, of the Articles of Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, provided that the Legislature may reasonably vary the form and substance of the requested legislation within the scope of the general public objectives of this petition.

PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW RE:

AN ACT GRANTING THE TOWN OF ARLINGTON, MA THE AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE LEGAL VOTING RIGHTS IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS FOR TOWN RESIDENTS AGED 16 and 17 YEARS OLD

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of chapter 51 of the General Laws or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any individual aged 16 or 17 years old residing in the Town of Arlington, who is ineligible to vote due to age under state law, but who is otherwise eligible, may apply to have their names entered on a list of voters established by the Office of the Town Clerk for the Town of Arlington. Such individuals on the list of voters may vote in any election for local offices, local ballot questions, and Town Meeting in accordance with this Act. For the purposes of this Act, "local voters" are anyone who is eligible to vote pursuant to this Act in a local election or upon a local ballot question in the Town of Arlington.

SECTION 2. The Office of the Town Clerk shall establish a separate registration list for local voters who shall fill out an alternative registration form. Upon turning eighteen, each local voter shall be taken off the separate list and notified that he or she must register as a regular voter in accordance with state law, regulations, and guidelines, in order to be eligible to vote.

SECTION 3. Said Office is hereby authorized to promulgate regulations, guidelines and forms to implement the purpose of this act.

SECTION 4. The Town of Arlington is hereby authorized to pass bylaws to implement the purpose of this act.

SECTION 5. Nothing in this act shall be construed to confer upon local voters the right to vote for any state or federal office, or on any state or federal ballot questions.

Select Board Report

Presentation Slides