Fairfax Councilmember Looks To Lower Voting Age To 16
FAIRFAX (CBS SF) -- Only eight percent of 18 to 24-year olds voted in the last election, but a Fairfax town councilman is hoping that lowering the voting age to 16 will help entice young voters to the polls.
Fairfax Councilmember David Weinsoff and a colleague started the process of lowering the voting age in the West Marin County town.
"As Ed Kennedy said back in the 1970's, we've got to bring them into the democratic process," Weinsoff said.
Sacramento would have to go along with the plan if the town moves forward with it. The age change would bring just a couple hundred new voters onto the rolls in a town of about 5,000.
Teenagers in Fairfax had their own ideas about how they would utilize their votes.
"I'd like to see a skatepark in Fairfax," one teen said. "Prop 215. Legalization of marijuana," another teen said.