Brattleboro Youth Vote

For more background information see:

Vermontitude Episode 33: 16-Year-Olds Voting and Running for Office

BRATTLEBORO — In this week’s Vermontitude podcast, host Peter “Fish” Case chats with Kurt Daims of Brattleboro Common Sense, about a bill recently passed by the Vermont Legislature that allows 16- to 18-year-olds in Brattleboro to vote in local elections, and serve as members of Representative Town Meeting and the Select Board. The Youth Vote initiative came from Brattleboro Common Sense, an activist group focused on promoting democracy and other progressive issues.

 

To read more, visit: https://www.reformer.com/community-news/vermontitude-episode-33-16-year-olds-voting-and-running-for-office/article_3e003212-1451-11ee-860f-dfd26e094649.html

(Length: about 15 mins.)
To listen to podcast, click on image or here:
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/reformer.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/f6/3f6707c8-1444-11ee-84dc-a78c2fd51c03/6499c9d7a78db.video.mp4

With veto overrides, lawmakers expand voter eligibility in Brattleboro, Burlington – 06/20/23

“Lawmakers voted Tuesday to override Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of charter changes related to voting in two Vermont communities. …

 

Effective immediately, the charter change allows Brattleboro residents aged 16 to and 17 to vote in certain town elections, including Town Meeting Day.

 

The change also allows people 16 and older to run for and be elected to a town office, such as selectboard.

 

However, voters under 18 would not be allowed to vote in state or national elections, nor would they be allowed to vote in school board elections.”

 

To read more, visit: https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2023-06-20/with-veto-overrides-lawmakers-expand-voter-eligibility-in-brattleboro-burlington

Comment:

The selectboard lawsuits against our homeless shelter are overwhelming and frightening, and it’s great to have this good news. It’s been ten years, and Brattleboro is the first city — the only city in America where young people have a voice as voters and as elected officials. This may stem the tide of youth moving out of town. I was just talking with Addie Lentzner of the Vermont Youth Lobby. We’re thinking about a state-wide campaign. BCS will advocate for full voting membership on school boards.

Young Brattleboro students have a great range of options for political expression. On one hand the student member of the school board is formal but tokenized and not allowed to vote. On the other hand students who worked on the Youth Vote also disrupted the selectboard and the Heifer Parade to declare a climate emergency. The Youth Vote amendment creates the best option, both formal and powerful, if the young voters choose to own their power.

05/09/23 – NH Senate approves Brattleboro’s Youth Vote initiative

For details, visit: www.reformer.com/local-news/brattleboros-youth-vote-initiative

STOPS AND STARTS

It took a year to arrange an essay contest and presentation the the high school for the first campaign in 2014 and 2015. Then selectboard gave us legal hassles, which we overcame. Then we lost in a tainted election in 2015. The selectboard didn’t offer much resistance in 2018 and 2019, and we won by a huge margin. The campaign coordinator was Rio Daims, assisted by Maya McNeill and Maya King. By 2022 the board was actually helpful. Lily Charkey mobilized the school.

Because of miscommunications in the legislature the amendment included selectboard membership, and the House failed to over-ride the governor’s veto of this version in 2022.

BCS is glad of the legislative approval now, but the timing is wrong, because we have not ironed things out with the governor, to fit this into a state-wide campaign. When we met with him in February of 2020 he assured us of his enthusiasm because the amendment addresses the matter of youth moving out of state.

For students the membership on the school board was the most important new power in the 2019 version but it was deleted because of complications with school redistricting (Act 46). That version is what students wanted. It’s what Brattleboro approved in 2019, and which we will promote state-wide. We’re asking the governor to meet about it.

Update — March 5, 2022

The last two years have seen BCS lobbying just to have YVT come to a vote. Then the last few weeks have seen us lobbying for an override of the veto. This has brought a flurry of news accounts. Showing just a few on this page.

Vt. lawmakers expected to override veto expanding Brattleboro voting age (03/10/22)

House Votes to Override Veto of Brattleboro Youth Voting (03/13/22)

05/02/21 — VT House Approves Youth Vote!

“After vigorous debate, a failed attempt to recommit the bill to committee and a 102-42 party line roll call vote, the House approved H.361, which allows youth voting in local elections in Brattleboro. Specifically, the bill amends the Town of Brattleboro’s charter to allow 16 and 17 year old youths (and early voting 15 year old youths if they will be 16 by election day) to vote for candidates for Brattleboro’s Selectboard and representatives in Brattleboro’s unique form of town meeting where three people represent sets of 180 voters at town meeting. The debate featured interesting discussions of child psychology and citizen engagement in the electoral process.”

Above excerpt is from article: Leonine: One step closer

Read more on our blog — VT House Approves Youth Voting in Brattleboro Elections

The Brattleboro Youth Vote town charter amendment
WON 69% OF THE VOTE in the March 5, 2019 election!

Read BCS’s Press Release on the March 5th Victory

Brattleboro’s representatives introduced Bill H.535 to the Vermont legislature’s House Government Operations Committee to start the process of approving the change. After a LONG TIME of adjusting the bill (see explanation to the right), the bill was passed in Committee.

Now the full House must vote on the legislation, before it heads to the Senate for the final lap. Due to the period of COVID-only focus in the legislature, however, the House vote is unlikely before this year’s recess. WE WILL PERSIST!

Voices of Support

Read essays from teenagers who support this cause:

Ben Knapp – “Suffrage for an Unheard Minority”

Nat Roy — “Democracy: A Work In Progress”

Everest Whitman – “Youth Suffrage”

Editorial Letter: Youth Vote Needs Selectboard To Act

“In a time when political cynicism is at an all-time high, it is great to see young citizens active and engaged in their communities. James, Rio and others in the Youth Vote movement have been doing the hard work of knocking doors and gathering signatures in support of youth participation in their local town meeting. With the dedication, determination and commitment of this group I expect they will get the 400 signatures required to put the Youth Vote Amendment on the ballot and I am hopeful local citizens will support it when they vote. Engaging youth in local decisions is a great way to instill a commitment to their community, bring in new ideas and energy, and to recognize the value they add to the region.”
– Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman

“The Youth Vote is an amendment that will empower youth ages 16 and 17 by allowing us to vote in town elections, to serve on the town school board, and to serve on the representative town meeting in Brattleboro, Vermont. We as youth feel that we deserve a voice in local government because we are active members of this town and we are fully affected by town issues and policies. We drive cars, have jobs, pay taxes, and we have a big impact on movements all around the globe. We should have an impact at the polls.”
– Rio Daims

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