#18 November 10

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Today contribution for the 30-Day Election Trivia Coach4aday Challenge is on the path that allowed 18-Year-Old Voters.

It might be hard for people under the age of fifty to accept but when I turned 18, I could not legally vote in state or local elections. It took the 26th Amendment to lower the voting age to 18.

26th Amendment

In times of crisis a US President often utilizes an Executive Order. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order lowering the minimum age for the military draft age to 18, despite the fact that the minimum voting age—as set by the states—remained at 21. 

That led the US Government having to deal with criticisms surrounding the slogan “Old enough to fight, Old enough to vote“. That sentiment grew much louder during the Vietnam War. It wasn’t just people talking but it became protests and eventually Congress heard the message.

On March 10, 1971, the U.S. Senate voted 94-0 in favor of the proposed 26th Amendment. On March 23, 1971, the House of Representatives passed the amendment by a vote of 401-19, and the 26th Amendment was sent to the states for ratification the same day.

Just a little more than two months later, on July 1, 1971, the necessary three-fourths (38) of state legislatures had ratified the 26th Amendment.

On July 5, 1971, Nixon signed the 26th Amendment into law and I became eligible to vote before I turned 21.