A group of Maine Democrats, led by Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec), began a push last week to lower the state’s voting age to 16 years via a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds legislative majority and a statewide referendum vote in order to be enacted.
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The proposed resolution, LD 1446, drew support from eight Democratic co-sponsors, along with Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren), who often sides with Democrats.
If the proposal clears the daunting two-thirds majority requirement in the legislature, the Secretary of State will compose a referendum question to appear on ballots in November asking Mainers to vote up or down on the amendment.
“Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to reduce the voting age qualification by 2 years, from 18 years of age or older to 16 years of age or older,” says the referendum question proposed by the resolution.
The referendum only requires a simple majority of Maine voters, rather than the two-thirds required in the legislature.
In addition to lowering the voting age, the bill also quietly changes the Constitution to use more “inclusive” language, replacing the term “servicemen” with “service members.”
No date has been set yet for a public hearing or work session on the proposed amendment.
Although the United States’ 26th Constitutional Amendment, which was ratified in 1971, reduced the national voting age from 21 to 18 years of age, it does not explicitly prevent states from allowing younger people to vote. Nevertheless, passing this amendment could put Maine in the difficult legal position of trying to allow 16-year-olds to vote in federal elections, while the federal government sets the voting age at 18.
While a dozen American municipalities — more than half of which are in Maryland — have lowered their minimum voting age to 16, in those localities the younger voters may only participate in local elections. No U.S. state has yet lowered its voting age, despite various efforts in recent years.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="37820 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=37820">41 Comments
The democrat party is destroying the State of Maine .
Unbelievable .
Democrats, you can’t own a gun, you can’t buy spray paint, you can’t smoke and the list keeps growing but we’ll let you vote…..
only those gainfully employed AND who own real estate should be allowed to vote .
Another bullshit democrat idea. Augusta democrats have no clue wtf their doing. It’s almost like they sit around saying “Hey, we live in a great state, what can we possibly do to fuck that up”?
In the meantime time the republicans are no where to be found…..no radio, no tv, no newspapers. Silence as usual. dunno who’s running the Republican committee up here but it may be time for a replacement.
Do demarcates really think that s a good idea. They can’t read as it is. It needs to stay at 18 years old.
Sounds like desperation. Democrats need a new voting block they can manipulate to vote for their radical policies. 16 year olds don’t pay taxes. They should not vote.
Unless ranked choice voting is eliminated, (unlikely) lowering the age will cement the democrats hold on power indefinitely. Maine is lost to the left until the majority decides otherwise. Let’s discuss Maines mental health issues. Stop ignoring it. Where are the adults?
You mean the same 16 years olds that don’t know if they are a boy or a girl! C’mon man!
Next up – lowering the age of consent for sexual relations. After that pedophilia.
Why is the Maine “Democratic/Marxist” Party not a RICCO target?
By 16 they have been throughly indoctrinated and guilted in to being immature sheep and socialists as pushed by the public school systems. They have NO idea who they even are never mind vote on policies that impact the rest of us! NO WAY!!!
Are the democrats INSANE? I just answered my own question. Why not lower it to 12 or middle school students?
Most 16 yr olds can’t find the zit on the end of their nose but would be a good dem voting block if they could find their way to a voting both. Joel, the dems know exactly what they are doing and by the looks of it they are having quite a bit of success. Unless people wake the f up we’re screwed. What we are witnessing is the demise of an empire like so many others throughout history.
There is no limit to the stupidity of this legislature.
Why not let 6 years olds vote? It is about the mental capacity of the Dumbocrats running your state!
Maine the “Land of Fruits and Nuts”
If you don’t get these Dumbocrats out of government Mainers, you won’t have a State left to salvage!
I think most of you are missing the big picture. The goal is to allow the democrats to have sex with 16 year old’s because its a short step from voting to consent. Everything they’ve done in the last 6 years says this is their goal.
Louise Wood – HAS!!
let me break this down for ya… the illegals cant vote as easily anymore, (be nice not at all)… the old people who vote dem are dying from the vax, as planned, but elon is taking them off of social security (money and votes thru fraud)… so dems need to replace thier base…. its like taking over the school slowly for the last 20 years was part of big plan or something….
So stupid.First they do not know if they are male or female at that age,I see they want to sneak in the term service members and not servicemen. They must stay up all night dreaming of stupid stuff to throw at us. Where is a press conference from general MILLS? About what is happening in our state.They work for us and everyone is in hiding.She has not said a thing. Republicans need to be on their toes and start fighting them!
@just the facts….. didnt see that untill you said it…. but i see it now and its def part of the unspoken intention of the bill…. sick…. and think the dems have been jacking kids up on all kinds of pharma drugs, without parental consent, at the schools… evil exist; ask yourself where does it live?
There’s a better argument to RAISE the age to 21, than there is to LOWER it to 16.
Can you say generation Gap? How about technology Gap? How about how obviously easy it is to convince a 16 year old he’s a female, even though he was born a male.
This is a terrible idea, and , with everything else of importance in this State, and the fact the US Constitution doesn’t allow it, WHY is it even in the wheel to be considered?
From the party that shouts we need to protect Democracy and the Constitution, this is sweet.
Wow whats next online voting with smartphones. Don’t be surprised!!
Way to try to drive more people out of the state Democrats
I’d like to thank the MA fools for moving here and ruining this state. Not only are you insanely greedy, you’re voting like you did in MA. If you love Maine so much, knock it off!
Maine public schools are at the bottom nationally and falling and
65% of the students score BELOW minimum standards. What idiot thinks
it’s wise to have them vote ???
Maine needs a new law to test the sanity of all elected officials!
As the broken record that I am….MAINERS YOU VOTED FOR THIS!!!! Had enough yet? Go ahead and sit on your rear-ends in 2026 and say good bye to Maine. I have no hesitation in bailing out I am not going to allow my family to be raped financially to take care of welfare leeches and illegal aliens. There are plenty of states who care about their citizens unlike Maine.
The progressive fire hose continues to spew pablum from its connection to the Augusta hydrant. It’s hard to pile stupid this high.
Are you kidding me!
Absolutely Not,….
Anything to stay in power. Teach your kids well, a fathers hell….
Bad idea from the party of stupid, has any 16 year-old in the Maine public schools even had a civics class yet? I’m gonna guess not…
Why not 2 years or older to match the average Communist Democrat politician’s mental age ?
Civics ?
What is civics ?
LMAO
Why not voting at the age of ten, They are still heavily influenced by schools and if they are old enough to agree to sex changes then why not voting? I bet the democrats would pick up an 8-2 voting advantage.
I know 16 yr olds who think that’s a stupid and terrible idea.
with reading and math scores going I say NO their not smart enough yet.
Only desperate blue states want kids to be allowed to vote. They know they are losing votes from adults who are tired of their radical agenda. Their only hope now is from 16 year olds that they have brainwashed.
Shameful.
Brainwash the young with propaganda in school then make them a voter. Hypocrates are priceless.
No generation is currently being screwed over more in Maine right now than that one. If they were taught just a shred of critical thinking, this would be the most conservative generation since The Greatest Generation.
Ridiculous. Just an overt attempt to attain a one party rule in Maine. Guess which party. Hint – it doesn’t start with R.
The schools preach progressive talking points and know the brainwashed students will fall in line.
The voting age should be 21.