ELECTION: Yellow Springs rejects lower voting age, OKs non-citizens voting

Yellow Springs voters were casting ballots on charter amendment issues this spring. One would allow residents who are 16 years of age and older to vote on local Yellow Springs issues and elected officials. Another would allow residents who are non-citizens to vote for Yellow Springs local issues and elected officials pursuant to the home rule power and granted by the charter. FILE

Yellow Springs voters were casting ballots on charter amendment issues this spring. One would allow residents who are 16 years of age and older to vote on local Yellow Springs issues and elected officials. Another would allow residents who are non-citizens to vote for Yellow Springs local issues and elected officials pursuant to the home rule power and granted by the charter. FILE
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April 29, 2020
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Voters in Yellow Springs defeated Issue 4 but supported Issue 5.

Issue 4 was rejected by a count of 751 to 546 while Issue 5 won by a margin of 727 to 571, according to unofficial results from the Greene County Board of Elections.

Issue 4 would have allowed residents who are 16 years of age and older to vote on local Yellow Springs issues and elected officials.

Explore VISIT ELECTIONS HERE

Passage of Issue 5 will allow residents who are non-citizens to vote for Yellow Springs local issues and elected officials pursuant to the home rule power and granted by the charter.

A similar ballot issued failed in November by 4%.

Yellow Springs Council President Brian Housh, an advisor for the local high school’s speech and debate team, has said 16-year-olds care about having a say in government decision-making.

RELATED: Yellow Springs voters say ‘no’ to let teens, non-U.S. citizens vote

“Research shows when people vote earlier, they will develop that habit when they get older,” Housh said. “Voting numbers show 18- to 25-year-olds generally aren’t participating.”

There is a national campaign to lower the voting age to 16.

Vote16USA.org “serves as the central hub” for local campaign efforts and raising awareness of the initiative on a national level, according to the website.

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Nick Blizzard is a staff writer for the Dayton Daily News. He is a graduate of Stebbins High School who earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and its E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Nick is a Riverside native and has been a journalist in the Dayton area for more than 20 years.