Reference no: EM133490471

The Vietnam War eventually set in motion many acts of legislation. One consequence was the 26th Amendment. before 1971, most states required voters to be 21years of age. However, at the height of the Vietnam War, we had young men, as young as 18, drafted into military service to fight in the jungles of Vietnam. It just did not seem appropriate that an 18 year old was old enough to carry an M-16 into combat, but they were not old enough to vote for or against the elected leaders that sent them there in the first place.

Thereby, the 26th Amendment changed this slight. The 26th Amendment states that :

"The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age."

There have been calls recently to expand the right to vote to young people as young as 16 years of age. Do you think that 18 is a proper age to vote. Do you think that the age should be lowered? Do you think that it should be raised? With just a few sentences, offer up the correct age to vote. Explain your answer in terms of maturity or other factors. Defend your answer, even if you stick with the status quo age of 18.