State lawmakers have advanced a bill that would allow 17-year-olds to vote in New Jersey.

The bill would let those who are 17 but will turn 18 by Election Day vote in the June primaries to decide political party nominees.

Advocates say the change will allow all voters to choose the candidates who they will be eligible to vote for in November.

“Allowing 17-year-olds to participate in primaries strengthens democracy as they begin building a habit of voting younger,” says Micauri Vargas, of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. “The younger the voter is when they cast a ballot the first time, the more likely it is for them to continue to do so. As with any habit, civic engagement takes time to develop.”

Republican lawmakers on the state Assembly panel voted against the bill. They said that they believe that 18 should remain the minimum age to cast a vote in any election.