Over the past months, UTEC teens have been quietly conducting much research and building great momentum in their efforts to lower Lowell's municipal voting age to 17! Over the past weeks, they have been regularly meeting with numerous statehouse leaders to gain further support for the passage of Lowell's home rule petition, H.1111, before the legislative cycle ends on July 31, 2012.
New City Council To Re-Endorse Bill H.1111 Tonight: As we continue to work on Beacon Hill to pass our bill, there will be many ways for you to help our cause. The first opportunity will be TONIGHT, Tuesday March 6, 2012 at 6:30pm at Lowell City Hall. We would like to invite everyone to join us as the newly elected City Council votes on re-endorsing Vote 17 and bill H.1111. As our teens have consistently said, lowering the voting age to 17 is very INTENTIONAL. This is not about randomly lowering the voting age by one year. 17 year olds are still in their local communities before heading off to college or work for the first time, allowing for a unique opportunity for their increased voter turnout and civic engagement for years to come!
National Media Coverage: The teens' campaign is gaining more buzz in Lowell, on Beacon Hill and even across the country! Just check out the article "Can't Hardly Wait" that appeared in the national publication, The American Prospect, by political commentator and writer Sally Kohn!
New Endorsements: Because of our history-making endeavor, the Vote 17 campaign has earned endorsements from many organizations across the Commonwealth and the Nation. Click the names to learn more about each organization in the left column.
Moving forward! In response to the Secretary of State's concerns about our bill's constitutionality, we received legal assistance from partners across the region. Special thanks to Christine O'Connor (Lowell City Solicitor), Laurence H. Tribe, Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard University, and Nic Riley, a Youth Voting Rights Lawyer from the Brennan Center in NYC. Feel free to read the City Solicitor's report, Professor Tribe's opinion, as well as Attorney Riley's memorandum. Given that they have all found it to be fully constitutional, we look forward to soon meeting with the Secretary to further address any concerns as we move forward.
Thank you as always for being a dedicated advocate for youth democracy and the United Teen Equality Center.
"Let Lowell Vote!"
Vote 17 Organizers
p.s. Join us at Lowell City Hall tonight at 6pm if you are in the area!
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