LANSING, Mich. (June 8, 2022) — Sen. Sean McCann (D–Kalamazoo) today introduced a joint resolution to allow 17-year-olds to vote in an August primary as long as they will be 18 and eligible to vote by the November general election.
“My resolution encourages stronger voting engagement throughout a person’s lifetime and creates more representative results by allowing young voters to participate in the full election cycle,” Sen. McCann said.
Senate Joint Resolution P, which mirrors House Joint Resolution I introduced by Rep. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth), proposes an amendment to the state Constitution that would permit 17-year-olds who are U.S. citizens and residents of Michigan to vote in any primary election if they will be 18-years-old at the time of the general election.
“We have seen a discouraging pattern of consistently lower turnout among young voters compared to other age brackets across the country,” Sen. McCann said. “This generation refuses to let their differences divide them and celebrates American democracy. They deserve to have an active role in our political process, and that’s exactly what this legislation is asking for.”
If passed, Michigan would join 17 other states in the nation — including Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana — to allow those who will be 18 by the general election to vote in primaries.
In addition, the proposal also formally changes Michigan’s Constitution to reflect the national voting age of 18. Article II of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 states that any resident “who has attained the age of 21 years’ is qualified to vote.” In 1971, the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, setting the voting age nationwide at 18, but the Michigan Constitution has never been updated to reflect this change.
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