A group of Maine Democrats, led by Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec), began a push last week to lower the state’s voting age to 16 years via a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds legislative majority and a statewide referendum vote in order to be enacted.

The proposed resolution, LD 1446, drew support from eight Democratic co-sponsors, along with Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren), who often sides with Democrats.

If the proposal clears the daunting two-thirds majority requirement in the legislature, the Secretary of State will compose a referendum question to appear on ballots in November asking Mainers to vote up or down on the amendment.

“Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to reduce the voting age qualification by 2 years, from 18 years of age or older to 16 years of age or older,” says the referendum question proposed by the resolution.

The referendum only requires a simple majority of Maine voters, rather than the two-thirds required in the legislature.

In addition to lowering the voting age, the bill also quietly changes the Constitution to use more “inclusive” language, replacing the term “servicemen” with “service members.”

No date has been set yet for a public hearing or work session on the proposed amendment.

Although the United States’ 26th Constitutional Amendment, which was ratified in 1971, reduced the national voting age from 21 to 18 years of age, it does not explicitly prevent states from allowing younger people to vote. Nevertheless, passing this amendment could put Maine in the difficult legal position of trying to allow 16-year-olds to vote in federal elections, while the federal government sets the voting age at 18.

While a dozen American municipalities — more than half of which are in Maryland — have lowered their minimum voting age to 16, in those localities the younger voters may only participate in local elections. No U.S. state has yet lowered its voting age, despite various efforts in recent years.