NEWARK, NJ — Newark is now the first municipality in New Jersey to allow 16-year-olds to vote in local school board elections.

On Wednesday, the Newark City Council gave a final green light to an ordinance that lowers the voting age for Newark Board of Education elections from 18 to 16-years-old (watch the video below, cued to the discussion).

An estimated 7,257 additional teens in New Jersey’s largest city will now be able to take part in an election that saw just 3 percent of registered voters turn out last year, advocates say.