KUNAL P. BOTLA

KUNAL P. BOTLA

Name: Kunal P. Botla
Office Sought: Town Meeting Member Precinct 4
e-mail address: kunal [at] kunalbotla.commichaelschanbacherlexpb [at] gmail.com (
)phone number: 617-792-8685

Community Activities: 

  • Transportation Advisory Committee member, since 2022
    • Led $20 Limitless annual Lexpress pass proposal by the Committee
    • Feedback on Lexington’s 2022 10 Year Comprehensive Plan from the Committee members; combining feedback from members of the committee to propose modifications in support of public transit and better land use
    • Write other comments for the Committee to Select Board, Planning Board, School Committee
    • Committee liaison to the MBTA
    • Brought ideas and suggestions focused on the youth of Lexington using public transit
  • Bus Network Redesign Community Letter to the MBTA, 2022; a successful letter with over 200 signatures asking for reinstatement of pre-pandemic bus service in Lexington, MA, as opposed to the proposed service cuts
  • Lexington Transit, since 2022; a website with information on Lexington’s public transit options and emails to an interested group
  • Former Cary Memorial Library, Library Leadership Council member
  • Lexington resident for over nine years
  • Former LHS student
  • Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts student, pursuing a dual degree in architecture and design, with a focus in public policy

 

Article 43 on the 2024 Town Warrant is asking if the Town will authorize and request the Select Board to petition the General Court of the Commonwealth for Home Rule Legislation to allow any citizens in the Town of Lexington, who have reached the age of 16 or older, to register and vote in municipal elections within the Town, or to take any action in relative thereto. Would you support this article? Why or why not?

Absolutely! As the author and advocate for Article 43, I firmly support granting voting rights to 16 and 17-year-olds in Massachusetts municipal elections. Young individuals are active members of our community and, despite their age, contribute through taxes that fund the Town. In Lexington, where they are already actively involved in various committees and boards, empowering them to vote in elections is the next step.

By allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to participate in municipal elections, we not only recognize their existing contributions but also tap into their insightful perspectives on town affairs. This inclusion can significantly enhance the democratic process by fostering a more diverse and representative electorate.

Engaging younger voters has proven to boost future voting rates, a crucial factor in addressing the currently low turnout in Lexington’s Town Elections. By taking this progressive step, Lexington aligns itself with other municipalities such as Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Acton, Brookline, and Southborough, all of which have authorized similar home rule petitions.

This initiative is a democratic approach to civic participation, and it has the potential to cultivate a more informed and active electorate in the long run. Let’s seize this opportunity to empower our youth and strengthen our democratic values—those first fought for in Lexington.