Swampscott Proposes Age 16 Voting, Shifting Spring Town Elections To Fall

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Proposals to lower the voting age to 16 in town elections and to move the annual town elections from spring to fall to increase turnout and engagement were among the recommendations of the Swampscott Election Review Committee to the Select Board.

The Review Committee made 10 recommendations overall — some of which, like providing child care during the annual town meeting, were quickly embraced and some, like changing the voting age and moving the election dates, will require extensive review and state action.

• Swampscott Election Review Committee Formed After Town Meeting Shift

The proposals come two years after former Select Board member Peter Spellios's push for election reform was sent to committee at the 2024 town meeting, and six months after review committee members sought feedback on potential changes.

"The Committee's goal was to identify practical steps that could increase participation in Swampscott's elections," Committee Co-Chair Marta Sirota said. "We hope these recommendations can help make local voting more accessible, visible and engaging for our residents."

Select Board member Doug Thompson recommended the two more involved changes — the lowered age voting limit and moving the date of the election — be taken up for discussion at a future Select Board meeting.

Town Administrator Nick Connors said some of the other recommendations that do not require a town meeting vote or town charter change could be implemented in the short-term.

Election Review Committee Co-Chair Shayne Spaulding said that lowering the voting age to 16 for town elections would add about 335 voters to the eligible registration roll.

"When students vote with their families and when they're young," she said, "there's evidence that increases their engagement later in life. We also know that young people pay taxes and some are functioning in adult roles. And they are affected by local policies, especially related to education, which is the largest portion of Swampscott's budget."

She said that adding the teens would represent a small percentage of voters, but allowing them to vote could be a move that would see significant benefits in voter engagement down the line.

Swampscott would join the Vote 16 Movement that also includes pushes from Boston, Brookline, Somerville, Concord, Acton, Southborough and Northampton, and would necessitate state legislative approval.

Moving the town elections to November would also allow engagement to piggyback off the interest in state and federal elections, but Spaulding noted that it could threaten to drown out local issues in presidential election years.

New Town Clerk Katie Dupont noted that a town charter change would be needed to shift the elections, as the November dates are set by the state and federal governments each election cycle.

Other changes recommended include the creation of a youth council to engage those ages 14 to 22 on town issues and the election process, to include at least one weekend day in in-person voting for town elections, to use the Code Red system to alert residents on election dates and voting, and for town departments to use newsletters and social media accounts to better inform residents of upcoming elections.