Mass. Politicians Propose Lowering National Voting Age To 16

If you're 16 in this country, you can drive, get a job and pay taxes — even marry or buy a gun, in some states. But you can't vote in national elections.

Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is trying to change that.

The freshman lawmaker introduced her first amendment in Congress Tuesday. It's a proposal to lower the national voting age from 18 to 16.

Pressley's amendment is being added to a sweeping, election-reform bill in the House of Representatives. That bill is in the hands of the House Rules Committee, chaired by Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern.

And in Boston, city councilors introduced their own measure Wednesday — which would lower the voting age to 16 in the city.

Rep. Jim McGovern, Congressman for Massachusetts' 2nd District. He tweets @RepMcGovern.

Josh Zakim, Boston City Councilor. He tweets @joshzakim.

Ed Lyons, Massachusetts Republican activist and political writer. He tweets @mysteriousrook.