State lawmakers team up to boost teen voter registration
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JACKSON, Tenn. — State lawmakers are teaming up to encourage more teens to register to vote. The state allows 17-year-old high school students to register to vote even though they have to wait until age 18 to cast a ballot. “Sometimes I feel like our voice may get lost at times,” Eli Parker, a student, said. Parker, a senior at Trinity Christian Academy, said he plans to vote in the upcoming presidential election, but the 18-year-old admits he has not registered to vote yet. “I would say that I’ve paid more attention to politics and all that’s been going on,” Parker said. The Tennessean reports state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are working with the Davidson County Election Commission to raise awareness about a program that allows 17-year-old high school students to register to vote, even though they have to wait until age 18 to cast a ballot. “You can register to vote at 17 as long as you will be 18 by the next election day,” Madison County Administrator of Elections Kim Buckley said. Buckley said Madison County currently has 792 registered teen voters ages 17, 18 and 19, which is about 1 percent of registered Madison County voters. Buckley said currently only eight 17-year-olds are registered to vote in Madison County. “Most of the time they, like others, don’t really think about voting until it’s election day, and sometimes that’s too late,” Buckley said. Parker said he plans to register to vote soon and is excited to have his voice heard. “I think that’s a great idea,” he said. “I think the voice of students and young adults is very important.” The Madison County Election Commission said people have until Feb. 1 to register to vote in the upcoming presidential primary. Buckley said even though they cannot vote, 17-year-olds can work the polls on election day.
