Lawmakers on Beacon Hill are discussing dozens of bills aimed at voter reform Wednesday.
Ranked-choice voting, and allowing certain 17-year-olds to vote were all on the table. Milton 18-year-old Jana Amin did not get to vote in the 2020 primaries becuase she was still underage, but was old enough to participate in the general election.
She and her friends are working to change that for future teens. They want the legislature to allow 17 year olds to vote in primary elections if they’ll be 18 by the time the general election rolls around.
“This law allows young people who are the future of our country to fully experience their first election process,” she explained.
Rep. Joan Meschino, of Hull, introduced a bill that would allow that.
“They model the civil engagement that we have been seeking to foster among youth and adults,” she said of the teens.
The bill was inspired by 18-year-old Samantha Bevins.
“Allowing eligible 17-year-olds to vote in the primaries will increase the likelihood they will remain invested and continue to vote as they get older,” Bevins said.
Lawmakers also discussed whether to allow municipalities the option to use ranked-choice voting in local elections.
New York City began using rank choice voting in its mayoral election on Tuesday. The system is complicated but advocates believe it is fairer.
“Basically ranked-choice voting allows voters to do just that. Rank the candidates in their order of preference,” Senator Becca Rausch said. “The first candidate to break 50 percent plus one vote wins.”
Voters across Massachusetts said no to ranked choice voting on the 2020 ballot, but adocates say 75 municipalities were in support.
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