Culver City voters are likely to face a familiar question on the November 2026 ballot: should 16- and 17-year-olds get a say in city and school district elections? The City Council has signed off on moving a charter amendment forward after a persistent student-led campaign that came up just 16 votes short in 2022, with final implementation still tied to budget limits, logistics and county election rules.
Council Moves To Place Measure On November Ballot
At its Feb. 9 meeting, the council approved a request from Vote 16 Culver City to place a charter amendment on the November 2026 ballot, according to Culver City. City staff described it as the group’s third formal attempt to get on the ballot and recommended directing the City Clerk to move ahead with the election preparation work.
What The Measure Would Do
The proposed ballot language would amend the city charter to allow “Culver City residents aged 16 and 17, who are otherwise eligible to vote under state and local law,” to vote for City and School District candidates and on local measures. It would also require each legislative body to sign off on funding and confirm that equipment and procedures are in place before youth voting actually rolls out, according to Legistar. The measure further allows the city and school district to set different voting methods or times for younger voters and specifies that including them cannot interfere with the consolidation of local elections with county-run contests.
Close 2022 Vote And Youth-Led Push
The idea is not new, and it almost squeaked through last time. An identical measure in 2022 failed by just 16 votes, according to the Los Angeles Times. The campaign has been driven largely by Culver City High School students, who argue that engaging teenagers early builds lifelong voting habits. Opponents counter that 16-year-olds may not yet have the judgment or experience to weigh in on local policy decisions.
Timeline And What Comes Next
The city says the formal “calling” of the election, the procedural step that locks in final ballot language and opens the window for official pro and con arguments, will take place at a council meeting before July 13, 2026, according to Culver City. The revived proposal has already drawn fresh coverage, including a segment on CBS Los Angeles this week, and both supporters and critics are expected to ramp up their campaigns as November approaches.
Legal Questions
The proposal is limited to local races and measures. Under the California Constitution, charter cities have broad authority over the “conduct of city elections,” which gives them significant room to shape local election rules. That authority has been recognized in legal precedent, including cases summarized by Justia. Courts have also held that state law can override local rules when an issue is deemed a matter of statewide concern, so legal observers note that the measure’s rollout could face technical or legal hurdles depending on how its provisions intersect with county election procedures.
Local Reaction
Supporters say putting the question back on the ballot is the logical move after such a narrow defeat the last time around and point out that other parts of the country have experimented with lower local voting ages. Critics, meanwhile, warn that any change could pile extra costs and complications onto already stretched election systems, according to reporting from the Culver City Observer. With the previous measure decided by a handful of ballots, the next round is likely to turn on turnout, late mail-in counts and just how many residents are ready to let teenagers help call the shots at City Hall and the school board.
