The city of Cambridge made history earlier this week. In a stunning 8-1 vote on March 25, the City Council passed an initiative that would allow 17-year-olds to cast ballots in municipal elections. True to its nickname, the People’s Republic has become the first city in the United States to grant high-school students the franchise.

At Cambridge City Hall on Monday night, the mood took on a jubilant air. Councilors in suits and ties mingled with teenagers in tie-dyed shirts, exchanging high-fives, back slaps, and congratulations. In some ways, the celebration seemed premature. Before the initiative can take effect, it must be approved by the state legislature, which will consider the measure as a home-rule petition. But even the prospect of a fierce battle at the State House could not dampen enthusiasm among the initiative’s backers.

"We’re going to take this to the state and win," declared Jesse Baer, a 17-year-old organizer with the Campaign for a Democratic Future, which has championed the measure for months. Fellow organizer Paul Heintz, also 17, said he looks forward to lobbying skeptical legislators in the weeks ahead. "It should be a lot of fun," he offered.

Baer, Heintz, and hundreds of Cambridge teens have argued long and loudly to expand the franchise to include high-school students in municipal elections. Last June, nearly 100 youths expressed their ardent support for lowering the voting age to 16 as the council debated an earlier measure. In a 6-3 vote, the council rejected that proposal. This time, the matured initiative put the voting age at 17, and although the March 25 crowd was smaller than last June’s, young people turned out once again to back the issue.

Evidently, youthful perseverance won over many council opponents. Councilor Tim Toomey, who also serves as a Cambridge state representative, commended the teenagers for their unflagging commitment to the cause. In the face of last year’s defeat, they dug in their heels. They rallied the troops. And they accepted the need for compromise in order to win. "This group has stayed with it," Toomey said. That stamina, he explained, was "a test for me" — and it prompted him to change his mind and favor the measure. Councilor Marjorie Decker, another former opponent, sounded a similar note: "Your energy, persistence, and commitment is truly inspiring."

Perhaps the most surprising flip-flop came from Mayor Michael Sullivan. Just last week, testifying before the Cambridge School Committee, which voted 5-2 to endorse the proposal, Sullivan had made plain his opposition to it. But less than six days later, he invoked September’s terrorism as the reason for his apparent about-face. The message of September 11 had taught him about patriotism, he explained — by which he meant "allowing a variety of voices to be heard on Election Day." Added Sullivan, "Yes, there is such a thing as patriotism, and it has led me to vote yes."

The council’s only hold-out proved to be Councilor David Maher. He, too, applauded the will of teens to fight for their cause. But he said the debate, for him, comes down to one question: should the Cambridge City Council be able to decide what amounts to a statewide matter? "This isn’t a city issue," he said. "We live in a wonderful city. But 17-year-olds here aren’t any different from their peers in Brookline, Belmont, and Arlington."

Of course, that’s where Maher is wrong. After all, kids in Brookline, Belmont, and Arlington don’t dream about lowering the voting age. Only the kids in Cambridge do that. And now, those kids are one step closer to making it a reality.