San Juan first province to approve teen suffrage

San Juan province is the first area to approved the law that allows young people between the age of 16 and 18 to vote voluntarily, and will be applied in the next provincial election in 2015.

With a majority of pro-government bloc seats and the backing of three opposition lawmakers from the Bloquista, ACTUAR and PRO parties, the Legislature turned San Juan into the first province that partially recognizes the political rights of the young, as they will be able to choose to elect, but not being elected until they turn 18.

The bill, presented by Victory Front bloc's Eduardo Bustello, was suported by Governor José Luis Gioja, who stated "as it happened with the femenine vote, San Juan is once more the first province to grant this political rights to the young people."

During the session, lawmakers highlighted that 25,327 youngsters will be able to cast their vote in the election of 2015, which is "a low percentage of voters, compared to the 200 thousand San Juan citizens that are able to vote."