by Maria Wood
Voter participation in primary elections is typically low. The Garden State is looking to reverse that trend by attracting a new voter demographic—17-year-olds.
The objective of a new law, which passed in 2024 and took effect January 1, 2026, is to increase voter participation among young voters. Under the New Voter Empowerment Act, 17-year-olds in New Jersey can now register to vote for a primary election if they will turn 18 by the date of the general election.
The Bipartisan Policy Center, a non-profit think tank in Washington, DC, estimates that 20% of eligible voters participate in a primary election to pick a party’s nominee for local or state office as well as for federal office—U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator and the President of the United States. The winner in each primary—Democrat and Republican—goes on to run in the general election where voter turnout typically increases.
Some 17-year-olds didn’t have to wait long to cast their first ballot. A Special Democratic Primary (there was no Republican Primary since only one candidate filed papers to run) was held on February 5, 2026 to replace the congressional seat left vacant when former Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill was elected as New Jersey’s Governor. If they registered by the January 15 deadline, 17-year-olds were able to cast their ballot in the primary if they turn 18 by April 16, the date of the general election for the vacant seat. Governor Sherrill’s former district, the 11th, covers parts of Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties.
One 17-year-old that cast a ballot in the special primary and recognizes the importance of voting is Saanvi Kulkarni of Livingston.
“I think voting is a way to show those in charge, like hey, this isn’t going to fly. The only way to change this is to change those who have the power,” Kulkarni told WHYY. “I’ve been running voter registration drives, and I am forcing all my friends out to vote. A lot of them don’t understand how crucial it is. A democracy only works if participation is broad and participation is expanded to everyone, and if everyone votes.”
If they turn 18 before November 3, 2026, 17-year-olds will have another opportunity to vote in the primaries for the midterm elections where they can cast their vote for their representative in the U.S. House of Representatives and for one U.S. Senate seat, as well as school board and municipal elections. The deadline to register for New Jersey’s June 2nd primary is May 12.
Yael Bromberg, a professor at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., and a national expert on voting rights, says youth voting laws not only teach young people about the voting process, but can make voting “habit forming.”
“The younger somebody participates in suffrage,” Professor Bromberg says, “the more likely they are to be lifelong voters. High school is a key time to encourage democratic participation.”
Bridging the gap
Youth voting advocates point to a wide gap between young and older registered voters. According to Laura Brill, CEO and Founder of the Civics Center, which sponsors voting registration drives in high schools, less than 50% of 18-year-olds are registered to vote in New Jersey compared to 80% of those age 45 and older. County-by-county registration rates for 18-year-olds vary widely, from a high of 65% in Hunterdon County to a low of 34% in Hudson County.
Professor Bromberg, who is the co-author of the recently released book, Youth Voting Rights: Civil Rights, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, and the Fight for American Democracy on College Campuses, contends that laws like the New Voter Empowerment Act along with its implementation at the local and high school level can bridge the gap between young and older registered voters.
“Permitting 17-year-olds to vote in a primary is another chance for them to choose who will represent them on topics they care about,” says Erik Cruz Morales, director of democracy at the New Jersey Chapter of the League of Women Voters.
“There are a lot of issues young people care about, such as climate change, housing, and gun control,” Morales says. “This law allows them to become civically engaged and have a say on what’s going to shape their future.”
Establishing a pipeline
New Jersey is not alone in reaching out to young voters. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 21 states and the District of Columbia permit 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by the general election to vote in primaries.
Brill says efforts to get teens signed up in high school translate into higher registration rates and consequently bigger turnout for elections
“These pre-registration laws help young people know that democracy is for all of us and that their participation is important,” Brill explains. “They also help candidates and campaigns take into account the full range of concerns their constituencies have by being in better communication with them.”
Anjali Krishnamurti is co-founder and executive director of Vote16NJ, an organization working to get 16- and 17-year-olds registered for local elections. She launched the group as a high school freshman.
“The New Voter Empowerment Act establishes a pipeline for voting where more school-age students can register to vote and learn more about the upcoming elections,” says Krishnamurti, currently a sophomore at Harvard College. “Students gain an appreciation of their civic duty for the rest of their lives.”
Removing obstacles
Brill notes that colleges successfully conduct programs to get out the youth vote. But such efforts should also be embedded in high schools, too. She points out that 40% of young people don’t go on to college. Therefore, a high school setting may be the only place they’ll be exposed to voting information and registration.
“Incorporating voter registration as part of the fabric of high school life is one of the best things that we can do, because it also makes young people curious about how government impacts their lives,” Brill says.
Entering college can be a challenging time for students, and registering to vote may not be top of mind, Krishnamurti says. “But when students are in school, they’re learning about civics, and there are resources within schools to direct them on where and when to vote. Voter turnout will increase as a result.”
Even students who go on to college need to know they must update their registration if they change their home address, Professor Bromberg says. “That’s another key piece of voter education that we need to encourage.”
New Jersey has removed a key obstacle to online voting registration for young people. Unlike some states, New Jersey does not require a driver’s license for voter registration. About 40% of 18-year-olds do not carry a driver’s license while a majority of 17-year-olds also do not, Brill says.
All that is needed to register online in New Jersey is the last four digits of a voter’s Social Security number and a signature. “New Jersey is ahead of many other states in facilitating the ability of young people to register regardless of whether they are drivers,” according to Brill.
However, Professor Bromberg says the state could be doing more to get out the youth vote. For example, unlike other states, New Jersey does not have same-day voter registration. In the 2022-2023 legislative session, a same-day voting bill was introduced in the New Jersey Legislature; however, the only action taken on the bill was a referral to committee.
“Same-day voter registration,” Professor Bromberg says, “has a demonstrated impact on increased voter turnout for young people.”
Get ready for Registration Week
New Jersey’s High School Voter Registration Law requires high school administrators to provide students with non-partisan instruction on voter registration procedures and eligibility requirements. It includes a provision to host a High School Voter Registration Week.
During the week, to be held April 6-12 in 2026, schools are encouraged to register 18-year-olds and qualifying 17-year-olds.
Morales says the League of Women Voters in New Jersey works with the Department of Education and Department of State to register high school students. By partnering with schools, the League registered more than 20,000 students from October of 2024 to May 2025, Morales notes.
Krishnamurti says Vote16NJ tries to get high school students involved in the registration push.
“Students will listen to their peers the most,” Krishnamurti says. “It’s really a matter of spreading voter information and encouraging young people to show up at the polls around the primaries.”
Professor Bromberg says the High School Voter Registration Law along with the New Voter Empowerment Act can work together to boost youth voter participation. She also urges administrators to take a proactive approach to getting students registered. It’s more than just filling out a form, she says.
“Have county officials and other speakers come in and explain the importance of elections,” Professor Bromberg says.
Discussion Questions
- Would you be for or against lowering the federal voting age to 17? Explain your answer.
- In the article, Saanvi Kulkarni said a democracy only works if participation is broad, expanded to everyone, and if everyone votes. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.
- Give your best argument for and against same-day voter registration?
- Read the sidebar, “What Every New Jersey Voter Should Know.” Would you be for or against changing from closed primaries to open primaries in New Jersey? Why or why not?
Glossary Words
suffrage—the right or privilege of voting.
This article originally appeared in the spring 2026 issue of The Legal Eagle.
BONUS CONTENT: What Every New Jersey Voter Should Know
While 17-year-olds can now vote in New Jersey primaries, as long as they turn 18 by the General Election, they will need to indicate a party affiliation in order to do so. That is because New Jersey, along with 12 other states, has closed primaries.
A closed primary simply means that only registered party members are allowed to vote. In other words, registered Democrats vote in the Democratic primary and registered Republicans vote in the Republican primary. If you register as an independent, or what is now called an unaffiliated voter, you cannot vote in a New Jersey primary. You can declare a party affiliation on the day of the primary if you didn’t declare one when you registered to vote.
There are 14 states that have open primaries, which allow all registered voters, including unaffiliated voters, to cast a ballot. In an open primary, unaffiliated voters can only vote in one party’s primary (not both); however, the decision does not automatically register the voter with that party.
It’s also important to note that in a General Election voters can vote for candidates in any political party even if it is not the one they are affiliated with.
How odd
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there are five states—Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia—that elect their governors in odd-numbered years. In New Jersey, that decision was made at the 1947 State Constitutional Convention, held at Rutgers University from June to September. The Convention consisted of 81 delegates who hammered out a new state constitution, updating the one that had been in effect since 1844.
In addition to the office of governor, the offices of state legislators would also take place in odd-numbered years. The thought was that a staggered election cycle—one that had federal elections during even-numbered years and state elections in odd-numbered years—would allow voters to focus on state issues rather than national issues.
In a speech to the delegates during the 1947 Convention, then-Governor Alfred E. Driscoll said, “The importance of a gubernatorial election merits an election that will not be overshadowed by a national contest for the Presidency. The problems confronting the State are frequently distinct from those confronting the nation.”
It was also at the 1947 Convention that the term for governor was changed to four years. Under the 1844 New Jersey State Constitution, governors only served a three-year term.