The New Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey, signed into law by former Governor Phil Murphy in 2024, allows 17-year olds who will be 18 by the general election to vote in primary elections.
The law went into effect in January, and some South Orange-Maplewood teens were the first to exercise their new rights.
The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice has been working for 16 and 17-year olds to gain the right to vote across New Jersey, though primarily in municipal or school board elections (or both), through their VOTE16 campaign, which has already passed in Newark.
“The youth vote is often stifled. Even at the age of 18, it has not often come out in great numbers,” said Heather Richner, who is leading the VOTE16 effort at the NJISJ, in an interview with Village Green.
“People don’t necessarily believe that the voting age should be lowered, but we would argue it creates a habit in voting,” said Richner. “It increases civic participation. It increases access to marginalized communities, black and brown communities – lowering the voting age can significantly build a more equitable democracy.”
The New Voter Empowerment Act came into effect in January, barely in time for the February 5 Special Election primary for NJ District 11, and many eligible young people had no idea they were even able to vote.
In fact, an analysis of voting data by NJ Spotlight News found that across NJ District 11, only 32 votes were cast by 17-year olds. And within this astonishingly low statistic, notably, over one-third were South Orange-Maplewood residents.
“I loved being able to vote in the NJ-11 Primary,” said Columbia High School senior Alice Cohen. “Voting was something I had long-anticipated being able to do, and the entire experience left me with the impression that New Jersey really values my and my fellow teens’ involvement in democracy.”
The next New Jersey primary is June 2, and Richter hopes for a larger turnout among new voters.
“It’s always tough when something positive happens and then you don’t see an immediate result, but I think it takes time,” she said. “And no matter what, this has increased voter turnout, even if it might have just been by a little bit this time.”
In speaking with Columbia High School students who are eligible to vote in the June primary, it is clear that the excitement and interest is there about getting to vote at an earlier age.
Senior Joey Kushner said, “I’m so excited to vote. To be honest, it’s one of the things I’ve been most excited for about turning 18.”
Felix Reichman-Curnow, with mom after voting on February 5th (Photo by Felix Reichman-Curnow)
Felix Reichman-Curnow turned 18 on Election Day on April 16, only just meeting the deadline for the February 5 primary. “I was Analilia Mejia’s youngest voter,” Reichman-Curnow quipped.
Many students are grateful that in the current political climate, they get a say in who is representing them.
Senior Julian Shapiro said, “Seeing what’s happening around us, I wanted to vote but thought I couldn’t.”
Another senior, Z Luciano, echoed this sentiment.“I’m excited to vote in the primary,” they said. “This is one of the few elections in a while, local or otherwise, where a candidate has actually made me hopeful and excited for the future.”
To vote in the June 2 Primary as a 17 year old, you must be 18 by Election Day on November 3, 2026, and registered to vote by Tuesday, May 12, 2026. You can register to vote at voter.svrs.nj.gov/register.
Ella Levy is a 12th grade student at Columbia High School and is working with Village Green as part of a grant from the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium.
