Law 2- Voting Age

The legal voting age in all 50 states is 18 years old. However, the law has not always been this way. Before 1971 the legal voting age in the United States along with most other countries was 21 years old. The United States took a step by voting to adopt an amendment to the Constitution. The 26th amendment stated that people of 18 years or older should not be denied the right to vote on the basis of age. This amendment was brought upon because of the response of the student activism against the Vietnam War, and it was adopted on July 1, 1971. In response to this amendment, politicians had to make a change to their perspective issues to incorporate the beliefs and issues facing the youth voters.

www2.iath.virginia.edu -"buttons of the sixties"Ages 18-24 & 25+, Voter Turnout in PresidentialYears plu.edu

This law personally affects me because I just turned 18. By law, I can now participate in voting for my country without being discriminated against based on age. This upcoming mid-term election is the first election I could vote in, and by being able to vote, it personally feels like I finally somewhat have a say in my government. In saying that, this law definitely can be seen as a law that legally defines a person. It legally gives the right to a person to participate in government in the form of voting. By being able to vote, it gives the individual a sense of justice and being.


This law can relate to the film, Iron Jawed Angels. It can relate because both are about suffrage. Even though the movie is based on discrimination based on gender and this law is based on discrimination based on age, they both involve rights of suffrage.