This year marks the first time California voters are able to decide whether 17 year olds should be able to vote in special and primary elections — if they will be 18 by the general election. It's not a new idea. According to Calmatters , lawmakers have considered this option for many years. I had my reservations at first, but it seems reasonable to me that first-time voters on the cusp of adulthood should “be afforded the opportunity to shape the choices that appear on the general election ballot” through their participation in the primary. If Prop. 18 passes, California would join 19 other states and Washington, D.C., in allowing teens of age to vote in a November general election.
There are opponents who have cited 17 year olds’ general “lack of life experience” as a reason to deny them the right to vote, but I would argue that their particular set of life experiences are precisely why their voices ought to be taken into account. Not only does the "no life experience" mindset eliminate what young people bring to the table, it also neglects the myriad ways teens are impacted by policies in which they have no say. While there’s much to learn from actions taken by older generations, there is also much to be learned from their inaction.
In recent years, young activists have held demonstrations and walkouts over climate change, ethnic studies, gun violence, and racial injustice. They’ve created book clubs amplifying underrepresented voices. They’ve led initiatives to feed the homeless and provide clean drinking water. Most impressively, they have shown on more than one occasion their ability to take a localized issue concerning the most vulnerable members of their communities and catapult it into the national spotlight.