About THE RESEARCH NETWORK
An opportunity to make contributions to education research & political science
High schools are a unique and understudied venue for voter mobilization, education, and socialization.
The experience of high school students in Maryland, Vermont, New Jersey, and California municipalities that have implemented 16-year-old voting could give us groundbreaking insights about how we can use civic education in high schools to cultivate consistent lifelong voting habits even in places that have yet to adopt a lower voting age.
Convened in 2021, the Research Network includes leaders from across local government, academe, youth advocacy, education, and civic engagement.
The Network is inspired by the Maryland, Vermont, New Jersey, and California cities that are leading the nation in implementing 16- and 17-year-old voting for local elections. The first of these cities, Takoma Park, adopted the policy in 2013, and four additional cities have adopted the policy in the years since.
Academic interest in the topic has increased steadily as well, across disciplines including political science, psychology, and law. The Vote16 Research Network aims to foster collaborations and generate information that is relevant to leaders in Maryland and across the country.
Read more about the Network’s work and impact from the UMD School of Public Policy’s Civic Innovation Center and the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at UMD’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.