Who should be allowed to cast a ballot in California? No on Prop. 18 — 17-year-olds

California voters will be asked in the Nov. 3 election to expand the pool of state residents who can cast ballots.

Proposition 17 would extend voting rights to people on parole. We urge support to show respect and encouragement to fellow Californians who are trying to rebuild their lives.

Proposition 18 would allow 17-year-olds to vote in any primary or special election if they will turn 18 by the following general election. While we appreciate the intent to engage our youth in the election process, this extension goes too far. Voters should reject Proposition 18.

Compared to many of the measures in the upcoming election, these are straightforward. But each has its nuances that voters should understand.

Yes on Prop. 17 — Parolees

In the United States, the rules for when felons get their voting rights back varies by state. In Maine and Vermont, felons never lose their right to vote, even while they are incarcerated, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The rules for the rest of the nation vary from automatic restoration of voting rights upon release to requiring a governor’s pardon to vote again.

California falls in between. Those incarcerated in county jails don’t lose their right to vote. And, currently, those in state prison can only vote again after they complete parole. Prop. 17 would change the rules for the latter group to allow inmates to register and vote after they are released from prison but before their parole is completed.

It’s the right thing to do. Our goal with imprisonment should be rehabilitation. If someone has qualified for parole, we should help them normalize their return to civilian life. Voting is a key part of that process.

These are people who will be holding jobs and paying taxes. They should also have the opportunity to fully participate in society. Vote yes on Prop. 17.

It’s been nearly half a century since the ratification in 1971 of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. It made good sense: Until then, American men could be drafted into the military at age 18, but they had to be 21 to cast a ballot.

Now, there’s a fledgling national movement to lower the voting age to 16. California’s Prop. 18 is a step in that direction. It would allow 17-year-olds to vote in any primary or special election before a general election when they would be 18.

But the argument for another lowering of the voting age is not as compelling as it was for the 26th Amendment.

While 18 demarks an age when most young people complete high school and head out on their own to college, to enter the job world or to join the military, most 17-year-olds are still in high school and reliant on their parents for support. Most concerning,17-year-olds have little or no experience paying the taxes that they will be asked to vote on or balancing budgets like the public officials they would help elect.

There’s no clear age of maturity, but 18 is a rational point to mark the entry into adulthood. Indeed, in some areas,18 is on the low end. When it comes to purchasing alcohol in California, the age has remained 21. And, state lawmakers in 2016 raised the age for purchasing tobacco from 18 to 21. In 2019, the federal government did the same for the nation.

It doesn’t make sense to now lower the voting age to 17. Vote no on Prop. 18.