In the push for teenage enfranchisement, some Jersey City officials are trying to up the ante.

Mussab Ali, a former Board of Education member and future mayoral candidate, said it’s time for teenagers 16 years old and up to be able to vote for the Board of Education, city council and for mayor. Newark has enacted its own ordinance to allow 16-year-olds to vote, but in just school board elections.

Outside one Jersey City polling place on Thursday, voters told NJ Spotlight News that they were a little skeptical, but not entirely against it.

Jersey City resident Bennett Raglin was open to the idea: “I like that idea. They’re the ones most affected by the school board and obviously the rules that the mayor and city council makes. But I think we have to make sure to educate before it’s implemented, because it can’t be a joke. It has to be serious.”

Ali, the mayoral candidate, said wisdom doesn’t come with age alone.

“I talk to young people who are very well-educated about issues, and actually one of the best things about them is that they’re very good at reading misinformation,” he said.

“I know some uncles and aunts that I know who, unfortunately, send around messages that we know are complete misinformation,” Ali said. “[Teens] just didn’t grow up in the age of social media, but young people know what misinformation is, and they can identify it quickly.”

The ordinance, which has not yet been formally introduced, goes beyond what a similar state bill would do. The state bill allows for teens to vote in school board elections, but doesn’t specifically disallow them from voting in other local elections.

Supporters said they have the necessary votes on the council and aim to have the new age take effect in 2026.