Democrat seeks to lower voting age

BALTIMORE — A city lawmaker says she will help 16-year-olds secure the right to vote, a plan that would make the teens the youngest voters in the nation and increase the number of registered voters in the Democratic Party.

Council President Sheila Dixon, a Democrat, made the promise as part of her re-election campaign for the Sept. 9 primary, in a city that already has an overwhelming majority of Democratic voters and has not elected a Republican mayor since1967.

“This allows us a foundation to build on,” she said.

The city already is allowing residents as young as 16 to vote in the September primary because many will be 18 by the Nov. 2, 2004, general election.

The unusual 14-month gap between the elections exists because Baltimore residents voted in a 1999 referendum to make their elections coincide with the general elections in even-numbered years.

However, the state legislature did not move the primary so it would fall within the normal three- to-six-month period before the general election.

Barbara E. Jackson, Baltimore’s elections administrator, released a final report yesterday showing the number of 16-year-olds who registered was 855, including 735 Democrats and 45 Republicans.

The most recent census data showed that the number of eligible 16-year-olds was 9,137.

The number of 17-year-olds who registered was 1,566 — including 1,311 Democrats and 97 Republicans.

“It is a little high but not anything drastic,” Miss Jackson said. “We generally have about 1,100 to 1,200.”

Because the city has so many Democrats, the primary likely will determine such key elected positions as mayor, council seats, council president and comptroller.

Miss Dixon said she is excited about the vigor that the teens could bring to politics.

“More and more young people have stepped up to the plate and want to get involved,” she said. “And I think we should give them that opportunity.”

Council member Melvin L. Stukes agreed.

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