Oregon bill to lower voting age to 16 for school board elections draws heated testimony
A bill to allow 16- and 17-year-old Oregonians to vote in school board elections drew passionate testimony Monday, with supporters saying teens younger than 18 are eager to have a say in issues directly affecting their education and opponents arguing they’re just too immature to vote.
House Bill 3012 has gained tremendous support from students, teachers and even school board members. The supporters include the 38,000-member educators’ union, the Oregon Education Association, and Common Cause, which advocates for accountability in government.
But similar bills also have been proposed in past years and flopped — including a broader 2019 proposal to ask voters to make Oregon the first state in the nation to lower the voting age to 16 for all elections and similar efforts in 2023.
Rep. Courtney Neron, a Wilsonville Democrat who is the chief sponsor of this year’s bill, said the proposal would encourage teens under 18 to become engaged in “real-world civics education” by voting.
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/03/oregon-bill-to-lower-voting-age-to-16-for-school-board-elections-draws-heated-testimony.html