Washington could lower voting age to 16 for 2020

A District of Columbia voter prepares to cast his ballot at a touchscreen voting machine inside a polling place in Washington, October 26, 2010. The U.S. mid-term elections are being held on November 2 and some polling stations are open early so that voters may cast their ballots before election day. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) - GM1E6AQ1TKA01

The Washington, D.C., City Council is preparing to vote on a bill to lower the voting age to 16 for all elections, both local and federal.

WTOP-FM reports the bill won 3-0 approval in the Judiciary and Public Safety committee Thursday and will get a final vote before the full council this month.

The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizens 18 and older the right to vote, but scholars have said it doesn't prevent a state, or in this case, the nation's capital, from setting a lower age.

Council member Charles Allen says his bill will "enfranchise the District's young people and bring their voices into the political process."