The student-run coalition Vote 17 NY came to the Capitol for Feb. 10’s Advocacy Day in support of legislaton that would allow 17 year olds to vote in primary elections.
Vote 17 NY advocates for the passage of Senate Bill S3231, sponsored by Senator Jamaal T. Bailey. The Assembly version of the bill is A6590 sponsored by Assemblymember Nily Rozic. Both Bailey and Rozic spoke at the gathering along with students representing Vote 17 NY on The Million Dollar Staircase in the Capitol.
In an opening speech, Rozic praised the students’ mission. She spoke directly to the students saying, “It’s time that New York gives all of you a chance to be heard at the ballot box, and that’s why I’m so proud to hear this bill in the legislature.”
The sponsors in attendance assured their praise and amazement for students wanting to get involved in voting, especially as early as 17. Following Rozic, Senator Bailey was another sponsor who respected the commitment of the students. Senator Bailey applauded them for taking the steps forward to decide who they want on the ballot, rather than having reactionary voting.
“They are showing us that democracy in action is better than democracy inaction,” Bailey said.
Vote 17 NY originates from students at Mamaroneck High School as part of its Original Civic Research & Action program, or OCRA. Students Max Dowell, Mark Lebowitz, and Henry Radcliffe are the founders of the group. Via a jointly written email interview, they described researching for the OCRA program, a cause which they could advocate for that would address a specific issue.
What their research led to was the proposal to allow 17 year olds to vote in the primary election, if they will be 18 by the time of the general election. This legislation has passed already in 22 states as well as D.C.
“Once we realized that many other states already allow this, it became clear that this is not a radical proposal, but a practical modernization of New York’s election system,” the founders said in the joint email.
They not only researched but felt they resonated personally with the proposed bill. When deciding on this issue to support, they recognized the importance of voting. In the interview Dowell, Lebowitz and Radcliffe said, “At 17, many of us work, pay taxes, volunteer, and take advanced government and history courses. S3231 / A6590 simply aligns eligibility with participation in a way that strengthens democratic continuity.”
Moreover, they continued to stress the importance of young voters and getting students to care about voting. The co-presidents have involved other students within the organization. Vote 17 NY is not only about the proposal, but about getting students involved with civic engagement and interested in the voting process to create active participants in the democratic process, organizers said.
“Community outreach has come through direct conversations, presentations, and transparent communication. We have spoken with educators, parents, and local leaders about the structure of the legislation and answered questions directly,” the founders said.
After researching the bills and developing their organization, Dowell, Lebowitz and Radcliffe decided to bring Vote 17 NY to Albany.
The co-presidents said they had three goals when coming to the Capitol: “First, to meet directly with legislators and discuss the substance of S3231 / A6590. Second, to demonstrate that young people are organized, informed, and capable of engaging seriously with policy. Third, to show that this proposal is already implemented in multiple states and that New York has an opportunity to strengthen its democratic process in a practical way,” they said.
With the Passing of bills S3231 and A6590, Vote 17 NY hopes to bridge the gap of an exclusionary voting process that expects first time 18 year olds to vote based on a previous primary election they were not privy to. The students from Mamaroneck High School are committed to seeing the bills being passed.
By taking initiative to get young adults to be active members of the voting process, Vote 17 NY hopes this legislation is the first step in the involvement. Acknowledging that many 17 year olds are already faced with adult responsibilities, Dowell said, “Seventeen year olds across New York State are old enough to work, they’re old enough to organize, but they are not old enough to vote in the elections that often matter most… This is real exclusion.”
