Testimony in support of Maryland HB 436 which would reduce the age at which an individual may preregister to vote, from sixteen years to fifteen years and nine months. Preregistration permits otherwise-eligible citizens who are not yet of voting age to complete a voter registration application and automatically be added to the state’s voter rolls when they turn 18. Such laws have been shown in other states to improve registration rates and to increase the likelihood that these young citizens will vote upon reaching voting age. These laws prepare our young people for a future with fewer barriers to vote, expand opportunities for teens to organize in their communities, and assist students in developing early voting habits that will last a lifetime. Michigan passed such a law last year. (2024)
