[ This letter is to encourage... ]

By Wesley J. Fischer

Special to The Capital-Journal

This letter is to encourage the support of House Concurrent Resolution 5042, which is currently before the House Ethics and Elections Committee. The resolution would amend the Constitution of the state of Kansas, authorizing persons becoming 18 years of age on or before the date of any general election to vote at the age of 17 at the primary election held for such general election.

I encourage all eligible voters and high school juniors and seniors to contact their legislators and urge them to support this important amendment, immediately.

A vote for this amendment would favor authorizing persons becoming 18 years of age on or before the date of any general election held for the nomination of candidates for such general election.

A vote against this amendment would favor making no change in the current law requiring that a person has attained the age of 18 years to become a qualified elector for the purpose of voting.

In several counties and for many partisan positions there may be two or more candidates from a single party running for a single office, without opposition from the opposing political party.

That being the case, the real election is the primary election. The decision as to who will represent the party as well as the person who will be elected will be made in the primary election.

Persons who are 17 years of age but will be 18 years of age on or before the general election are denied the right to choose because they cannot vote in the primary election.

In many primary elections held in small communities, candidates win by one vote. That one vote is true power, the power of one.

You cannot change the system from outside the window. The only way to make a change is to climb through the window and be involved. That is the only way you can make a difference in the government.

In 1996, 16 states allowed 17-year-old persons to vote in the primary elections.

Those states were: Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Approximately 38,000 Kansas high school junior and senior students would be affected by this amendment.

Those same students are required by the state of Kansas to study American government. We students know our votes count, but are discouraged when the primary elections limit our choices in the general elections. One vote may have changed the name that is on the ballot.

The passage of this amendment would further encourage younger voters to exercise their privilege of voting and would increase their political involvement.

Wesley J. Fischer in a student at Hiawatha High School.

Copyright 2002
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