Utah 17-year-olds are heading to the polls for the first time Tuesday under a new state law allowing them to vote in primary races if they’ll be 18 by November.
KUER radio reports the law was passed by state lawmakers earlier this year.
Pleasant View 17-year-old Zachary Thomas jumped at the chance to cast his ballot by mail.
He says high schools students have increased political awareness in the wake of the February mass shooting at a school in Florida after students around the country began organizing walkouts to protest shootings.
Thomas says students need to vote in November if they want to be taken seriously.