I have requested legislation to be prepared that will allow 17 year olds to vote in future New Hampshire Presidential Primaries if they will be 18 years of age as of the General Election of that year, and if each political party agrees to the change. It makes a lot of sense to me that if they will be 18 and old enough to vote in the November Presidential Election -- and that at age 17 they already are allowed to serve in the military --they should be able to take part in the presidential nominating process by voting in our Primary.
Using our most recent Presidential Primary as an example, I believe it is very important for young people to be involved in the political process. I was especially delighted to see the awesome participation of young people in Iowa and New Hampshire. I'm sure a lot of those visiting voters door-to-door on behalf of candidates and attending rallies and other events during this year's New Hampshire Primary were under 18, and they probably got to know the issues and the candidates as well or better than a lot of us over 50.
I got involved in politics at a young age. In 1960 as a young pup I distributed flyers for John F. Kennedy. One of my very favorite memories was meeting Bobby Kennedy in Portsmouth as he was campaigning for his brother. Being involved so young was an invaluable experience, and I think it is so important that young people feel they do count, because they do. To allow them to vote in the New Hampshire First-In-The-Nation Presidential Primary if they will be 18 by the time of the November General Election -- and have their votes counted -- would be a good thing for our future.
I plan to present this legislation during the current Legislative Session, and the change allowing 17 year olds to vote would be in effect for the 2012 New Hampshire First-In-The-Nation Presidential Primary.
ADVERTISEMENTS 