New Jersey
Amid book bans and school shootings, NJ teens demand a voice with Vote16 campaign
Between book bans and increased school shootings around the country, teenage students from the Garden State have taken a stand by forming their own political campaign — Vote16.
Vote16 seeks to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in municipal/school board elections and be able to voice the issues that affect them such as school curiculum, discrimination and gun violence, according to the Vote16 website.
And the young activists have a growing number of Democratic support.
On Oct. 5, Gov. Phil Murphy and other state officials, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, attended the teen activist conference “Vote 16 Youth Summit” hosted by the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice held at Rutgers University Newark campus and voiced their support behind the bill introduced to Legislature.
Their promise is to move it through the Legislature this year, but, according to a report, the proposed statewide bill sent in May to both the Senate and State Assembly has not been scheduled for committee hearings.
But the task faces pushback from both Republican and Democratic parties.
Supporters like Murphy agree that voting at a young age can build lifelong voting habits and champions youth enfranchisement laws. But critics have suggested that it is a way to make kids political pawns and some even considered the idea to allow teens to vote in other elections becomes a slippery slope, the report stated.
According to research from Public Religion Research Institute, 51% of teens ages 13-17 do not identify as a Democrat or Republican, but most share their parents’ party affiliation.
However, the Vote16 campaign outlines a few factors many16-year-olds already face that directly impact them: working, paying taxes, being primary caregivers, running businesses and contributing financially to their households. Some already engage in social activism like advocating for climate change, women’s and LGBTQ rights, immigration, gun control and Black Lives Matter.
If approved, the bill would permit 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in elections for local school boards across New Jersey. The state would be the first to extend voting rights to people younger than 18.
“Once I sign this legislation into law, each one of you will be able to say that you played a part in making New Jersey the first state in the entire nation to secure voting rights for Americans as young as 16-year-olds,” Gov. Murphy said at the summit. “It will be an historic accomplishment that began right here, in Newark.”
In the beginnig of the year, Newark City Council passed a law allowing teens 16 and up to vote in school board races in January. Students will begin to vote in January of 2025.
Police fired tear gas and used horses to push back protesters outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark, after nights of demonstrations over conditions inside. New Jersey’s governor put state police in charge and set up protected protest zones.
Published On 30 May 2026
From Camden and Cherry Hill to Trenton and the Jersey Shore, what about life in New Jersey do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know.
In New Jersey, Mercer County officials have enacted new policies limiting the ability of federal immigration agents to access and use county property to conduct immigration enforcement operations.
Mercer County Executive Dan Benson issued an executive order and the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution Friday that bans U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol from using any nonpublic area on county property to enforce immigration law, unless they have obtained a judicial warrant or judicial order.
“From Minneapolis to Delaney Hall, ICE has repeatedly shown a total disregard for the law and for the constitutional rights of citizens and non-citizens alike,” Benson said in a statement. “We respect the Federal Government’s authority to enforce immigration law, but we will not allow them to use County properties to harass our families.”
“With this resolution, we’re sending a clear message that everyone in our community can safely interact with County government, and access County services, without fear,” said Board of Commissioners Chair Terrance Stokes in a statement. “ICE’s actions threaten the fabric of our community, and we will take whatever steps we can, within the bounds of the law, to protect our residents.”
New Jersey and New York City commuters are facing extensive delays in and out of New York Penn Station Friday, with intensifying ripple effects, after an Amtrak work train car on one of the hub’s tracks caught fire.
The FDNY says it was called to the Midtown scene on 31st Street, between Seventh and Eighth avenues, around 1:30 a.m. Nearly 100 personnel responded. Five civilians were evaluated at the scene by EMS, officials say.
It’s not clear what sparked the fire involving Amtrak’s contractor maintenance vehicles in one of the Hudson River Tunnels. It was knocked down well before 6 a.m., but service on New Jersey Transit, Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and more was expected to see heavy impacts well into the morning rush, with Hudson River trains operating at reduced capacity. Amtrak said it didn’t expect to lift its suspension until at least noon.
Travel Advisory: Due to unforeseen track and signal maintenance resulting from a now extinguished fire in the New York area, all services traveling south of New York (NYP) are temporarily suspended. This suspension is anticipated to be in place until noon at a minimum. Services…
— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) May 29, 2026
New Jersey Transit and LIRR also announced delays and cancellations. Cross-honoring and diversion programs were in effect as the situation developed. Complete LIRR service at NY Penn had resumed by around 7 a.m., Friday said, though equipment issues were causing cancellations. Get the latest transit information here.
Video from outside Penn Station showed smoke billowing in the pre-dawn hours, as emergency personnel stood by with stretchers awaiting any potential victims.
Amtrak is investigating the cause of the fire.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause,” the agency’s latest announcement said, pledging to provide updates as new information becomes available.
-
Augusta, GA2 minutes agoWhat is the cheapest place to buy a home in GA? This city ranks 8 in US
-
Washington, D.C7 minutes agoStorm Team4 Forecast: May ends with sunshine and clear skies
-
Cleveland, OH14 minutes agoWatches & Wonders Comes to Cleveland Hosted by Alson Jewelers
-
Austin, TX17 minutes agoTexas agency denies Austin ISD pause for 3 middle schools facing takeover risk
-
Alabama22 minutes agoOklahoma State Baseball Live Scoring for NCAA Regional vs. Alabama State
-
Alaska29 minutes agoHere’s Why Alaska Air Shares Popped Higher This Week | The Motley Fool
-
Arizona32 minutes agoArizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for May 29, 2026
-
Arkansas37 minutes ago
No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks’ Historic Season Comes to an End at WCWS
