CA: Lower the voting age to sixteen years

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Sean Brennan and 3 co-sponsors

Lowers Ohio voting age to 16 for elector eligibility and primary participation, subject to citizenship, residency, and 30-day registration.

Referred to committee

#constitutionalamendment

Summary of HJR 8 (136th General Assembly, Ohio)

Purpose

Proposes to amend Section 1 of Article V of the Ohio Constitution to lower the voting age to sixteen years.

The measure is a joint resolution (HJR 8) introduced for the purpose of placing a constitutional amendment before voters.

Key Provisions (as drafted)

Amends Article V, Section 1 to specify:

A person is eligible to be an elector (vote) if they are a United States citizen, at least sixteen years old, a resident of the state (or the applicable local political subdivision) for such time as provided by law, registered to vote for at least 30 days, and otherwise meets traditional elector qualifications.
Any elector who fails to vote in at least one election during any four consecutive years shall cease to be an elector unless they re-register to vote.
For primary elections, every qualified elector who is sixteen or older on the day of the next general election shall be entitled to vote in the primary election.

Effective date and repeal:

If adopted by a majority of voters in the November 3, 2026 general election, the amendment to Section 1 of Article V shall take effect immediately.
The existing version of Section 1 of Article V would be repealed effective immediately upon adoption.

Affected Entities and Scope

Eligible voters in Ohio would include individuals aged 16 and older who meet citizenship, residency, and registration requirements.

Primary election participation would be extended to individuals aged 16 and older on the day of the next general election.

Current elector qualifications and the “inactive” status rule (ceasing to be an elector after four consecutive years with no voting) would apply with the new age threshold.

Procedural and Timeline Details

Legislative action: Introduced as HJR 8 on May 12, 2026.

Referral: Requires three-fifths of the members elected to each house to concur for submission to voters.

Voter consideration: The proposal would be placed on the ballot for the general election on November 3, 2026.

If approved by voters, the amendment to Article V would take effect immediately, and the existing wording would be repealed immediately.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

Expands the franchise to include sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds, subject to existing registration and residency requirements.

Could influence candidate outreach and voter engagement strategies targeting youth.

Expands primary election participation to younger voters, potentially affecting primary dynamics and party strategies.

Administrative considerations for elections officials regarding registration timelines (30-day registration requirement remains in place) and ensuring compliance for younger voters.

Notes for Readers

The proposal does not specify additional prerequisites beyond the stated citizenship, age, residency, and registration requirements.

The measure would immediately alter the constitutional framework if approved, rather than requiring further statutory changes to implement the lower voting age.

The language emphasizes “on the day of the next general election” for eligibility to vote in the primary, aligning primary participation with 16- and 17-year-olds who will be 16 or older by that date.