A ballot question before voters in the 3rd Hampshire state House District, which includes Amherst, asks if the drinking age for beer and wine should be lowered to 19.

The question is the brainchild of Matt Malone, a former Massachusetts resident who now works as a government actuary in Washington D.C. He said many cities and towns are participating in age discrimination by banning tobacco use for anyone under 21. And, he said, the current drinking age is part of that.

“I think people should be treated as adults,” Malone said. “And I think having a split drinking age would encourage people to be more responsible, if they can only drink beer and wine first, rather than if they could drink hard liquor.”

Malone’s proposal is only on the ballot in Amherst, Pelham and half of Granby, and it’s non-binding.

Alcohol consumption by college-aged students and some of the issues that go along with it have received a lot of attention in Amherst in recent years. The town’s select board chair, Alisa Brewer, said she signed the petition to put the question on the ballot as a way to generate a conversation, something said hasn’t happened.

“This is just not getting any attention,” Brewer said. “I’m not sure why, knowing what was going to be happening on the ballot, this was a particularly good time to pursue this, because, really, no one’s thought about this question at all.”

Brewer said thanks to early voting, she’s already voted against it.