Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This election year is heated, and different people have strong opinions about different Presidential candidates. 17-year-olds are no exception!
Do you think 17-year-olds should be allowed to register to vote now if they will be 18 on election day in November?
Allowed to register? Yes
Allowed to vote right now? No
Unless the constitution is amended, you have a right to vote in a presidental election, but you do not have a right to vote in a primary to select the candidate for a particular party. A party may decide they would like you to vote in order to help them select a candidate, but they aren't required to. Many independents are in the same boat as those 17 year-olds, they get to vote in the general election, but not the primary.
__________________
When I post in bold red that is moderator action and, per the TOS, can only be discussed through Direct Message.
The federal government doesn't run elections or make the rules...
That is a 10th Amendment issue.
If a State wishes to make the deadline, or even to set age limits, it can. The state can even make it where there are no elections and everyone keeps their office, even the Presidential elections.
States, still have a little power left.
The federal government doesn't run elections or make the rules...
That is a 10th Amendment issue.
If a State wishes to make the deadline, or even to set age limits, it can. The state can even make it where there are no elections and everyone keeps their office, even the Presidential elections.
States, still have a little power left.
The federal government is allowed to make the criterion for who is eligible to vote in the general election, but primarily the constitution does. The 26th amendment of the constitution lowered the age to 18. The states can decided the rules about how voting will take place, but they can't restrict who can vote. That issue got explored ad nauseam after the Civil War and again during the women's suffrage movement.
The federal government needs to return to the states the powers they have hijacked.
__________________
When I post in bold red that is moderator action and, per the TOS, can only be discussed through Direct Message.
Most states do allow pre-18 year olds to register, part of the Motor Voter law. Most do not allow them to vote until they turn 18.
My youngest son turned 18 a couple days after the 2014 election, he couldn't vote.
The OP's title isn't exactly accurate. The teens are registered. They want their primary votes to count. Currently they don't.
From the OP's link:
"Clyde and some other Democrats and voting rights groups are upset that Ohio's 17-year-olds – who will turn 18 by November's election – can participate in next week's primary but any votes they cast for president will not be counted per the instructions from Husted's office."
I provided the link re: NM as an example of a state that does allow 17 year olds to fully participate in the primary process as long as they will be 18 on Election Day.
The OP's title isn't exactly accurate. The teens are registered.
I tried to edit the title during my window of opportunity to do so, but it didn't take.
Update...And just had a chat with the moderator over correcting the title, and I told her that you guys educated me that soon-to-be 18-yr olds CAN register to vote, but just can't vote in primaries if they're still 17.
I tried to edit the title during my window of opportunity to do so, but it didn't take.
Update...And just had a chat with the moderator over correcting the title, and I told her that you guys educated me that soon-to-be 18-yr olds CAN register to vote, but just can't vote in primaries if they're still 17.
...they can now.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
