In a time when too many elected and appointed officials are seeking to enact legislation to suppress or restrict voter participation, it is heartening to read that a bill has been introduced that will allow 16 and 17 year olds to pre-register to vote when they get their first driver's license.
This is legislation that all of us who believe in a true participatory democracy should champion.
The 2008 presidential election showed that the youthful vote is not to be under-estimated. Still, by 2012, the number of young voters who had registered and voted had taken a noticeable fall though in the final analysis youthful voters still played a powerful role in the most recent election. But shouldn't youthful voters be more engaged despite who's running for president? Shouldn't we ensure that voters between ages 18 and 24 have their say in school board races, in city council contests and in all of the ballot box questions that affect their communities and their state? The answer is a resounding "yes."
Allowing young voters to take a step toward civic engagement at the same time that they are taking that other big step -- becoming licensed to operate a car -- sends a message that Democracy is at least as important as driving. Perhaps it is a message that will linger throughout their lives. Perhaps it is a message that, despite its seemingly modest cost -- will linger and affect our communities and our state for the better for years and years to come.
ROSEMARY HARRIS LYTLE
President of the NAACP Colorado Montana Wyoming State Area Conference, Colorado Springs