Lawmakers want to let some 17-year-olds vote in primary elections

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – A group of Democrats in the State House wants to allow some 17-year-olds to cast their votes in Michigan primary elections.

They introduced House Joint Resolution I, which proposes a change to the Michigan Constitution. It would allow people to vote in the primary at the age of 17 as long as they would be 18 by the date of the general election in November.

The resolution would also update the state’s constitution to reflect the national voting age of 18.

The Michigan Constitution set the voting age at 21. Then in 1971, the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, setting the voting age nationwide at 18. However, our state constitution has never been updated to reflect this.

House Joint Resolution I has been referred to the Committee on Elections and Ethics.