Lawmakers work together to boost number of teen voters

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Two lawmakers from Nashville are working together to encourage more teens to register to vote.

The Tennessean reports Republican state Sen. Steve Dickerson and Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper are working with the Davidson County Election Commission to raise awareness of a program that allows 17-year-old high school students to register to vote, though they have to wait until they are 18 to cast a ballot.

Last year, about 15 percent of eligible high school students registered. Dickerson and Cooper say they hope next year’s presidential elections will help boost the number to at least 30 percent.

Totals for recent Metro elections show that 70 percent of those who voted were over the age of 50; only 2 percent were under the age of 25.