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