Politics & Government

Teens Cast Ballots in Historic Takoma Park Election

Sixteen- and 17-year-old voters took advantage of their right to vote in the Nov. 5 Takoma Park city election. All incumbents were re-elected Tuesday.

Following Takoma Park’s historic move earlier this year to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in local elections, teens turned out at the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots.

Only one spot up for election was contested, with Mayor Bruce Williams winning re-election over write-in candidate Elizabeth Forbes Wallace.

But the lack of hotly contest council seats didn’t deter young voters from taking advantage of their new right.

Find out what's happening in Takoma Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A young voter at the polls on Tuesday told the city’s TV channel, “I don’t think that that right to complain and the right to say this isn’t right and the right to say I want something to change is used if you didn’t go out and vote in the first place. … I’m given the opportunity … in what, the first county, the first place in the world, where 16-year-olds are allowed to vote.

“I think in the ideal world everyone votes,” the teen voter continued. “Why not? It’s quick, it’s easy. … It’s something that people worked really hard to get. And people here worked really hard to work for 16-year-olds to get.”

Find out what's happening in Takoma Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Takoma Park became the first city in the United States to lower its voting age to 16 for local elections this year. Council members Tim Male and Seth Grimes proposed the change in an effort to encourage more voters in local elections, Patch reported earlier. 

Takoma Park Election Results from the city’s Facebook page:

Mayor
Bruce R. Williams - 989 (incumbent)
Elizabeth Forbes Wallace (registered write-in) - 62
Other write-ins - 61

Ward 1 City Councilmember
Seth Grimes - 229 (incumbent)
Write-in - 25

Ward 2 City Councilmember
Tim Male - 242 (incumbent)
Write-in - 23

Ward 3 City Councilmember
Kay Daniels-Cohen - 189 (incumbent)
Write-in - 23

Ward 4 City Councilmember
Terry J. Seamens - 218 (incumbent)
Eric Mendoza (withdrawn from race) -- 10
Other write-ins - 2

Ward 5 City Councilmember
Jarrett K. Smith - 72 (incumbent)
Write-ins - 7

Ward 6 City Councilmember
Fred Schultz - 125 (incumbent)
Write-ins - 3


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