Vote 16 Newark

In January 2024, the City of Newark passed an ordinance granting 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in school board elections.

Starting February 1, 2025, 16- and 17-year-olds can register to vote for the April 2025 and future school board elections.

April 2025 School Board Election:

Key Dates

0
Feb.1: Voter registration opens for 16- and 17-year-olds
March 25: Voter registration deadline for everyone
April 15: Newark School Board election

Get Involved

Become a Youth Vote Ambassador

The Youth Vote Ambassador Program is a nonpartisan effort effort to train and empower high school students to register and mobilize other young people to vote in Newark’s 2025 school board election.  

Eligibility: You must currently be enrolled as a high school student in Newark to participate in this program.  

Sign Up Now
 

What will Youth Vote Ambassadors do?  

Training

 Youth Vote Ambassadors will participate in three (3) virtual workshops.  

Workshop 1: Our Vote, Our Power  

January 22, 2025 (6 p.m. – 8 p.m.): 

What You Will Learn:  

  • The history of Newark’s Vote16 ordinance 
  • The importance of voting and civic engagement 
  • Key youth issues impacted by school board elections 
  • What voting rights young people have in Newark 

 

Workshop 2: School Board 101 

January 22, 2025 (6 p.m. – 8 p.m.)Workshop 2: School Board 101 

What You Will Learn: 

  • The role that school boards play in education 
  • How young people can engage with the school board on issues they care about 
  • The history of Newark’s school district  

 

Workshop 3: Youth Power at the Polls  

January 24, 2025 (6 p.m.- 8 p.m.) 

What You Will Learn: 

  • How to lead voter registration drives in your school or neighborhood  
  • Strategies for encouraging other young people to vote 
  • Tools and resources for learning about the candidates on your ballot 

Activities

After completing the workshops, Ambassadors will receive support to create and lead their own youth voter engagement initiatives in their high school.  

Activities may include:  

  • Hosting voter registration drives and Get-Out-The-Vote events in your school and neighborhood 
  • Using tools to collect information about issues young people care about 
  • Talking to your classmates about the election and helping them make a plan to vote 
  • Creating social media posts and videos to educate and encourage young people to vote 

Become a Vote16 Teacher Champion

The Vote16 Teacher Champion Program is a nonpartisan effort to support high school teachers to prepare their students to register and vote in Newark’s 2025 school board election.    

Eligibility: You must be an educator actively teaching at a high school in Newark to participate in this program.

Sign Up Now
 

What will Vote16 Teacher Champions do?  

Training

Teacher Champions will participate in a virtual information session on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 (6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.).  

At the information session, we will cover:  

  • Overview of the Vote16 Teacher Champion Program: Understanding the role and expectations for Teacher Champions 
  • The Importance of Youth Voting: Why engaging students in the democratic process matters, especially for school board elections 
  • Key Dates and Activities: A timeline of important events, including registration drives and the Newark 2025 school board election  
  • Voter Engagement Best Practices: Strategies for promoting voter education, awareness and registration among high school students  
  • Resources for Success: Access to a civic engagement curriculum, promotional materials and support tools to help you and your students succeed 

Activities

After attending the information session, Teacher Champions will lead initiatives to prepare their students to vote.

Activities may include:

Serving as the point person at their school for student questions about voting

Promoting voter awareness, education and registration via school announcements, assemblies, posters, etc., at their school

Hosting voter registration drives in their classroom or at a school site, during or after school between February 1 – March 25

Teaching a recommended civic engagement curriculum in their class and recruiting other 11th or 12th grade teachers at their school to teach the curriculum.