For the first time ever, voters under the age of 18 will be allowed to cast their votes in school board elections in Newark. This decision was made by the Newark City Council in January 2024, in an effort to boost voter turnout in local school elections. Historically, voter turnout in Newark during school elections has been low, especially since these elections often do not coincide with national or statewide races.
In Newark’s upcoming election, 11 candidates are competing for three seats on the board, with some running independently and others as part of slates. This initiative to lower the voting age was driven by a statewide student-led campaign, supported by the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, to give young people a voice in issues that directly impact them.
As of the voter registration deadline, 1,832 Newark teens had registered to vote in the upcoming election. These new young voters will have the same voting rights as those 18 and older, with no additional identification required if they provided their Social Security number during registration. Voting in person or through mail-in ballots are both options for eligible voters.
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