A proposed amendment would let 17-year-olds vote in New York primary elections if they will turn 18 by the general election tied to that primary.
ALBANY, NY — New York lawmakers are considering a constitutional amendment that would allow some 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections before they are old enough to vote in the general election.
Assembly Bill A6590, sponsored by Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, would amend Article II of the New York Constitution to allow a 17-year-old citizen to vote in a primary if that person will turn 18 by the time of the corresponding general election.
The proposal has a companion measure in the Senate, S3231, and has attracted a long list of Assembly co-sponsors.
Current Constitution Sets Voting Age at 18
New York’s Constitution currently provides that citizens must be at least 18 years old to vote.
A6590 would add an exception specifically for primary elections.
Under the proposed language, a voter who is 17 on primary day could participate if they will be 18 by the general election for which candidates are being selected.
The change would not allow 17-year-olds who remain under 18 on general election day to vote in that primary.
Amendment Would Change New York Constitution
The proposal is structured as a constitutional amendment rather than an ordinary change to election law.
The resolution would amend Section 1 of Article II of the state Constitution, which establishes voter qualifications.
The proposed language states that a citizen “who is seventeen years of age at the time of a primary election and who will be eighteen years of age at the time of the general election for which such primary election is held, shall be eligible to vote in such primary election.”
Measure Would Have to Clear More Than One Legislative Session
The resolution also lays out the next step if lawmakers approve it.
The amendment would be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the next general election for members of the Assembly.
That means the proposal would not take effect simply because the current Legislature approves it.
The measure must move through New York’s constitutional amendment process before voters could ultimately decide whether the state Constitution should be changed.
Support Spans Dozens of Assembly Members
Rozic is joined by dozens of co-sponsors, including Assembly members Emily Gallagher, Robert Carroll, Charles Lavine, Jessica González-Rojas, Linda Rosenthal, Jo Anne Simon and others.
The measure was introduced March 6, 2025 and referred to the Assembly Committee on Election Law.
Its Senate counterpart, S3231, contains the same basic proposal.
Debate Centers on Primary Participation
The proposal would affect young voters who are old enough to participate in the November general election but currently cannot vote in the primary that determines which candidates appear on that ballot.
Supporters of similar measures in other states have argued that if a voter will be eligible to decide the final election, that voter should also be able to participate in choosing the candidates.
The New York proposal is narrower than lowering the general voting age to 17.
It would apply only to primary elections connected to a general election in which the voter will already be 18.
If adopted, the change would alter who can participate in New York party primaries and could bring thousands of younger voters into the electoral process several months earlier than current law allows.