Sacramento – Assemblymember Curren Price (D-Gardena) successfully presented the case for AB 1819 to the California Senate this morning.  AB 1819 is the progressive legislation that will allow young Californians to “pre-register” to vote at the age of 16.  “Facilitating participation by younger voters empowers and engages our youth and ultimately strengthens our entire political process,” said Price.  “Young Californians and youth across our nation have expressed a strong desire to get involved in government and it is our responsibility to support that involvement at the most fundamental level – voting.”  

AB 1819 allows a person to register to vote once he or she is 16 years old, if that person otherwise complies with all the requirements to register to vote.  A 16 year old would complete the same voter registration form as any other person.  On their 18th birthday, his or her registration is activated, and they receive a sample ballot and other election materials for the first election in which he or she is eligible to vote.

Eight other states currently allow youth pre-registration: Hawaii, Connecticut, Iowa, Florida, Maine, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Texas.  According to the New America Foundation, students are a "captive audience," and high schools are an ideal place for engaging young people and incorporating them into our representative democracy.   Assemblymember Price has garnered strong support for AB 1819, especially from youth organizations and high schools across the state.  The Los Angeles City Council, The Los Angeles County Office of Education, The Los Angeles County Deputy Probation Officers and Rock the Vote™ are among the ever-growing list of AB 1819 supporters.

California ranks 36th in the nation for turnout among young voters.  According to the most recent data available from the U.S. Census, more than 45 percent of eligible voters in California between 18 and 24 years of age were not registered to vote in 2004.  Speaking to the urgency of addressing this disparity was high school freshman, Harjot Hansra, who delivered this morning’s most powerful testimony in support of AB 1819.   “We are not even asking for a vote before eighteen; we are only asking for pre-registration and if society feels comfortable with teenaged drivers sharing the road with them, they shouldn’t feel uncomfortable when teenagers want to share responsibility in their future,” testified Hansra.  “Good habits begin when you are young, if you vote in approval of this bill today, it would mean a step on the right path to our shared future.”

“We need only look at the revolution that has occurred during these Presidential Primaries to understand how hungry our youth has been to play an active role in their government, and how much their participation can influence our political future, said Price.”  “Empowering youth in government is not a partisan issue to debate, but a patriotic duty to implement.”

AB 1819 passed out of the Senate Elections Committee on a three to one vote, with Senators Calderon and Oropeza signing on as co-authors and Senator Migden voting for the bill.  Senator Battin voted against the bill and Senator Cogdill was absent from the vote.   AB 1819 now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Assemblymember Curren Price serves the 51st Assembly District, which includes Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena, Playa Vista, Westchester, Lawndale, West Athens, Lennox, Alondra Park, West Compton, Del Aire, Willowbrook and portions of unincorporated Ladera.