Voting booth dividers set up across a myriad of desks within a monitored area. Image available under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, (No changes made).
New Laws Hit the House
A bill which allows teenagers to vote in school board elections went before the Oregon House Committee on Rules on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. This bill, House Bill 302, or the Student Voice in Democracy Act would allow 16-and 17-year-olds to vote in school elections starting as soon as 2027.
At the House Committee on Rules meeting, Oregonians attended to voice their wants and concerns. In total, 149 people submitted written opposition while 197 wrote in support.
People argue that it would create a better life for students, since they would be able to have a say in how schools are treating them.
“[Elected officials’ decisions] disproportionately impact young people.” Oregon Representative and former public school teacher Willy Chotzen D-Portland said.
I have seen firsthand the power of student advocacy and how much of a difference it makes when young people are given a platform to share their experiences and concerns,
17-year-old National Board of Education and Phoenix Talent School District representative Javier Quintana said.
Republicans Oppose the Bill
People in opposition to the bill argued that teenagers do not have fully developed brains and they cannot make decisions because of that. Others are concerned about the cost of the bill.
“Voting is a serious responsibility, and younger teens lack the necessary understanding of the political landscape and its long-term consequences,” Oregon Representative Dwayne Yunker R-Grants Pass said.
As for other concerns, some believe that the bill could cause monetary deficits rather quickly.
“Who is paying for this? How do we afford this?” Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby said.
Not The First
Although it seems monumental, House Bill 302 would not be teenagers’ first experience in voting. The League of Women Voters reported that 33,000 students participated in mock elections held by their school districts in 2024.
This bill is not the first of its kind. The National Youth Rights Association reports that about 12 jurisdictions allow 16-year-olds to vote, some of these including Oakley and Berkeley. Subsequently, they became the first areas in California to allow teenagers to vote in school board elections.
