"Newark, New Jersey, Lowers School Board Voting Age to 16 and 17-Year-Olds"

Newark City Council unanimously approved a measure allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections, making Newark the largest U.S. municipality to expand voting rights to young people since 1971. The move aims to empower over 7,000 teens, particularly those from Black and Brown communities, to have a say in school board policies. Mayor Ras J. Baraka and council members support the ordinance, emphasizing the importance of engaging young people in democracy and addressing low voter turnout in the last school board election.