Important news for 17-year-old Ohio residents: You may now be eligible to vote in the primary elections! A judge ruled Friday that 17 year olds, who will be turning 18 before the presidential elections in November, are now allowed to vote in the primary elections, according to the Associated Press.
This is great news for those who are feelin’ the Bern, as Sanders has been dominating the millennial vote. The ruling is especially important because Ohio is a key swing state; one that could prove to be a close race between Sanders and Clinton. Naturally, the Sanders campaign has been fighting for this ruling.
“This is a huge victory for 17-year-olds across Ohio,” Brad Deutsch, an attorney for Sanders’ campaign, told the AP. “Their votes for presidential nominees will now count when they vote on either Tuesday or over the weekend in early voting.
The ruling is based on the difference between the words ‘elect’ and ‘nominate.’ You must be 18 years old to vote in an election, but because a primary isn’t technically an election, the rules should be different. The primaries allow citizens to vote in order to nominate a candidate from their own party. Therefore, if you will be able to vote for president in the fall, you should also have a say in which of the candidates from your party receives the nomination.
This is definitely a victory for 17-year-olds who want a voice in their democracy.