By Ethan Moss

More than fifty Mamaroneck High School Students were in Albany recently (Feb 10) to ask for the right to vote in Primary Elections in the months before they turn 18. They told state legislators they want to have a real voice in choosing nominees. The general election is held in November, but nominees are chosen in party primaries that take place in June.

It’s the latest project of MHS’s Original Civic Research and Action program (OCRA), which encourages young people to start early and make their voices heard in the halls of power. As a Junior at MHS I am a participant and am honored to have taken part.

MHS Juniors Max Dowell, Mark Lebowitz, and Henry Radcliffe took charge. They led 50 high school students from all grades to Albany for “Advocacy Day,” urging passage of bill S3231/A6590. Simply stated, this piece of legislation would allow pre-registered 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they turn 18 by the time of the general election.

The idea is not new and is the law in 23 states. The students hope to make New York State the 24th. The reasoning is that voters who are not old enough to cast ballots in the primary, but who will be old enough to vote in the general election, have zero say in who actually appears on their ballot. Many times, especially on the local level, the primary it is the election that really matters.

At the state capital, the MHS students broke up into 17 groups to lobby legislators. While I led a group that was unsuccessful in contacting a legislator, various groups who were able to get in touch reported that they were “enthusiastic, and agreed with our argument.” Additionally, the students confirmed 7 new co-sponsors for the bill. 

There was even a press conference, where the three organizing MHS juniors spoke, along with our local Senator Shelly Mayer.

State Senstor Shelly Mayer 

For Senator Mayer the legislation is designed to engage new voters at the very start. “Voting is a civic responsibility,” she says,  “and it is important that we help young people develop lifelong habits of civic participation and a sense of commitment to their communities.” She has high praise for MHS teacher Joe Liberti who runs the OCRA program and for  bill co-sponsors Bronx Senator Jamaal Bailey and Queens Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. 

The legislation has passed the Senate once but has failed to pass in the Assembly. The bill’s advocates will try again next session.