Senate Approves Zwicker Bill Allowing Some 17-Year-Olds To Vote
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A bill allowing some 17-year-olds to vote in the primaries is heading to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk after the Senate advanced the bill Thursday.
Sponsored by Sen. Andrew Zwicker of South Brunswick (NJ-16) and Sen. James Beach, the measure will allow registered 17-year-old voters to cast ballots in the primaries if they turn 18 before the general election.
“’One person, one vote’ is at the heart of our democracy and today we are giving young people the opportunity to make their voices heard by granting them the right to vote in a primary election,” Zwicker said.
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“At a time when our politics is polarized and when too many people stay home on Election Day, it is time to empower a new generation of voters so that they may have a say in the future of our great state.”
The bill has been a priority for Zwicker and it is the first bill he authorized in the Assembly. Meanwhile Beach has advocated for and advanced a number of voting and Election Day reforms in the Senate.
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Currently a person who is at least 17 can register to vote only if they turn 18 years old or by the date of the general election. This bill would allow such teens to vote in a primary, provided they turn 18 on or before the date of the next general election.
“Many teens look forward to voting in their first election but as it stands if they are turning 18 between June and November they don’t get a say in who’s on the ballot,” Beach said.
“By allowing these 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections we are allowing them to weigh in on which candidates they want representing their party in the general election, just like everyone else who will be voting in November.”
The bill passed mostly along party lines with some Republicans abstaining or voting against the measure.
If signed into law, the effective date would be Jan. 1, 2026, which means it will not be effective during the next presidential election in 2024.
Eighteen states as well as the District of Columbia have already enacted such a change.
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