Oregon House Approves Constitutional Change to Voting Age

Amendment would eliminate outdated requirement for voting in school board elections.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - The Oregon House of Representatives has approved a change to Oregon’s constitution that would eliminate anachronistic age and literacy requirements for citizens who vote in school board elections.

While it is unclear whether those provisions could be enforced, they have not been in recent years.

The resolution, HJR 4, would explicitly remove that text from the constitution.

The discrepancy was discovered by students at Portland’s Grant High School.

In a letter to Secretary of State Bill Bradbury last March, the students pointed out the problem and asked Secretary Bradbury to propose legislation to correct it.

The Grant students wrote that the provisions in Article VIII, Section 6 “take the foundational essence of equality out of the Constitution, placing citizens on a series of tiers defined by age, nationality and intelligence.”

The provisions, which apply only to school board elections, are not currently enforced.

A Supreme Court decision prompted Oregon to amend its constitution in 1974, lowering the voting age to 18 years and eliminating all literacy tests.

That change to Article II left in place the disputed language in Article VIII.

“As a principal, I always told my students that they could only complain about something if they were willing to do what it takes to change it,” said Rep. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay), who carried the bill on the House floor.

“These kids are a testament to the effect all citizens can have on even the highest levels of government.”

The resolution was approved by a 56-1 vote in the House.

Pending approval by the Senate, voters will get a chance to decide the issue on the ballot in November of 2008.