The Vermont Presidential Primary on March 6 will mark the first time that 17-year-olds will be allowed to vote.
In the 2010 general election, Vermont voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to allow 17-year-olds who will turn 18 on or before the day of the November general election to participate in the presidential primary and the August primary for the year that the voter will be 18 by the General Election.
Any person who turns 18 on or before Nov. 6 can register to vote, cast a presidential primary ballot on March 6 (but not a town meeting ballot), and cast a ballot at the August 2012 primary.
However, Condos said that 17-year-olds cannot take the voter's oath until they turn 18. Once they are 18, they can go to their local Town Clerk office to take the oath, take the oath on Election Day at the polling place, or submit a copy of the original application to the voter registration checklist with the oath section completed.
Since primary elections are a political party nominating process, a person can participate before taking the voter's oath, Condos said.