Representative Ben Bowman (D-Tigard) sponsored HB 3206, permitting an individual who is 16 or 17 years of age and registered to vote to cast a ballot in school district elections, including nomination and election of school directors. It requires the Secretary of State to establish a process by rule to ensure eligible individuals only receive a ballot for school district elections.
Currently, Oregonians must register 21 days before election day and must be a U.S. citizen, must be an Oregon resident, and must be at least 16
years old. Once registered, an individual will receive a ballot and instructions in the mail about two weeks before an election. Registered voters under the age of 18 do not receive a ballot until the first election that occurs on or after the voter’s 18th birthday.
Article VIII, Section 3 of the Oregon Constitution gives the Legislative Assembly authority to "provide by law for the establishment of a uniform, and general system of Common schools." House Bill 3206 permits an individual who is 16 or 17 years of age and registered to vote to cast a ballot in school district elections.
Representative Bowman presented testimony that the bill is based on Daniel Hart and Robert Atkins publication, "American Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds Are Ready to Vote." Interestingly, at the end (page 21) there is a note: "This body of research has led theorists to conclude that adolescents may lack the legal culpability of adults for some forms of criminal behavior (see Steinberg and Scott 2003)" The article's conclusion admits the claim for 16-year-olds to vote "rests upon the exploration of the notion of citizenship, in some of its legal meanings in the United States, as well as its connotations in political philosophy. Citizens should be entitled to vote, unless
there is good reason to imagine that they cannot fulfill their responsibilities as citizens or as voters." They point to the decline of children in the population as being underrepresented. They say voting is a tool to educate them on civic habits.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Representative E. Werner Reschke (R- ) testified of the dangers inherit to permitting youth to vote while the legislature recognizes their immaturity in other areas. Reschke goes on to state that the expansion of rights with no corresponding responsibility is poor public policy. The 2019 the legislature amended Measure 11 offering special treatment to offenders age 15 to 17. Reschke asks, "Why? Because 15 to 17 year old's lacked a fully formed frontal lobe, a part of the brain that plays a major part in memory, judgement and other vital functions. If that is true, why do we want to consider those who are still adolescents to directly participate in such important adult decisions?" If brain function isn't an issue, then why not 6 year olds? Where does it stop?
