Newark, New Jersey - The Newark City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved an ordinance to lower the voting age to 16 for school board elections!

The New Jersey city has become the latest after Oakland and Berkeley, California, to pass such a measure. Meanwhile, the municipalities of Battleboro, Vermont, and Greenbelt, Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, and Takoma Park in Maryland have moved to allow residents ages 16 and up to vote in all local elections.

"This is what democracy looks like – right here in Newark, New Jersey," Ryan Haygood, president and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, said in a press release.

"More than 7,000 16- and 17-year-olds, 90% of whom are Black and Brown, can now speak for themselves at the ballot box about who will decide everyday school issues that shape their lives."

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Students in Newark have also celebrated the historic decision.

"I have witnessed firsthand the direct impact that school board decisions can have on the daily lives of students," said Nathaniel Esubonteng, a 16-year-old junior at Science Park High School. "Our educational experiences are shaped by these policies, and those directly affected – us students – deserve a way to ensure school board candidates who reflect our values and listen to our needs are in office."

"This will ensure that my voice and the voices of my fellow Newark students are not only acknowledged but also valued in decisions that directly influence the education we receive and our future," added Breanna Campbell, another 16-year-old junior at Science Park High School.