Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
Prop 18 Fails: 17-Year-Olds Won't Vote In Primaries
Illustration by Chava Sanchez/LAist
Proposition 18 has failed, with 55% of the elctorate voting no, according to the Associated Press.
The ballot measure would have let 17-year-old Californians vote in primaries, as long as they would have turned 18 before the general election.
Currently, 18 other states and the District of Columbia allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaries —with the caveat of turning 18 before the general election. It's unclear how the measure would have affected actual turnout if passed; only 16.1% of eligible California voters aged 18-24 voted in the March 2020 primary.
More than 12 million votes were counted before the AP declared the result.
Major donors to support Prop 18 included Kevin Mullin for Assembly 2020 (he introduced the measure in the state legislature) and the Committee to Innovate for California's Future.
The measure was endorsed by the L.A. Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Diego Union-Tribune, and opposed by the Southern California News Group and the Orange County Register.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, the ACLU of Southern California, and the California Democratic Party also supported the measure.
Sponsored message
READ MORE ABOUT PROP 18:
Your Guide To The Ballot Propositions In California's General Election
- Legislative Analyst Office fiscal impact statement
LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE:
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
