In 1996, there were 24,650,000 18-to-24-year-olds in the United States. Of these, 7,996,000 voted. That means that only 32.4 percent of the 18-to-24-year-old population voted in that presidential election year! In 1998, only 18 percent of the young population voted! Why are these numbers so low? What can YOU do to change these statistics? Read on to find out why your vote is so important and what you can do to get involved in changing history.

HISTORY
In 1971, 18-20 year olds gained the right to vote with the passage of the 26th amendment to the United States Constitution. The road to this landmark amendment was not a smooth one. It was paved with young people's resentment that they could fight in a war but at the same time were not permitted to vote. The decision to allow 18-20 year olds to vote was made only a mere 30 years ago.

All along, the question was not whether or not to extend voting rights to 18-to-20 year olds, but rather how to do so - via constitutional amendment or an extension of the Voting Rights Act.

On August 12, 1969, Jennings Randolph, a Democratic senator from West Virginia, introduced a proposed constitutional amendment that extended the right to vote to 18-year-olds. Others in the Senate felt that the voting age should be lowered by amending the historic Voting Rights Act, which President Nixon proposed to be extended. However, simply adding the youth vote onto the Voting Rights Act was cause for much debate in the Senate, as many members felt that youth should be franchised only through a constitutional amendment, the way other major groups were enfranchised.

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the Voting Rights Act with the youth vote amendment attached. President Nixon begrudgingly signed the act into law on Monday, June 22, 1970. He felt that young adults should be enfranchised through a constitutional amendment, but did not want to veto the whole Voting Rights Act, which he believed was a vital piece of civil rights legislation. He decided to leave the decision about the legality of the amendment up to the courts.

The Supreme Court indeed did find the amendment to the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. It was argued that the act could enfranchise 18-to-20-year-olds in federal elections, but not state and local. In order to do that, the Court contended, a constitutional amendment must be ratified.

In December of 1970, a constitutional amendment that gave 18-year-olds the right to vote in all elections was introduced into the Senate. The legislation quickly passed in the Senate and the House and was ready for state approval. On June 29, 1971, Ohio became the 38th state to ratify the amendment, thus making it a part of the United States Constitution.

Despite the energy that drove young adults to fight for enfranchisement in the 1970s, their numbers at the ballot box have continued to fall since receiving the right to vote in 1971. Census data shows that only 31.2 percent of registered 18-to-20-year-olds voted in the 1996 presidential election.

WHY VOTE?
Your vote is your voice. Our elected officials make decisions that affect your life in innumerable ways. If you want your opinions to count when those decisions are made, then you must elect people who share your beliefs. If you want your voice to be heard, you have to vote. In many cases, your vote is the only chance you get to tell the government what you want it to do. And if you don't like the way the government is spending your tax dollars, or you don't agree with the laws that tell you what you can or cannot do, voting is one of the most important ways you can change things.

Government affects our lives in a countless number of ways:
  • Stop signs at the end of our streets
  • Safe drinking water in our faucets
  • Highways across the nation
  • Safe food to eat
  • Public parks to visit
  • Police and fire services to protect us
  • Minimum wage laws
  • Safety standards for businesses and hospitals
  • Public schools and universities for free or affordable education

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?
Voting is not the only way to make your voice heard. Other ways to influence change in government include writing letters to your representatives, or better yet, starting a letter-writing campaign to gather people together who support your cause. The old adage is right: there is strength in numbers. You can also call your representative. Ask to speak with him/her directly, or if they are not available, speak to their chief of staff. Sending an e-mail letter to your representative is another way to get in touch with him/her. Be sure to give your address so the representative knows you are a constituent.

Steps to Take:

Look and Listen: Study the issue that concerns you.

  • Identify the issue: What is the problem that you want to work on?
  • Look for more information about the issue: Find others who are interested in working on the issue or are already working on it.
  • Attend meetings of City Council, and meetings of organizations connected with your issue.
  • Read as much as you can about your issue. Educate yourself.

Learn: Which level of government can best fix the problem or address the issue?

  • Can the problem be solved at the local level? If the issue can be addressed on the local level, then you will be working with your City Council representative. Find out what ward you live in and who your representative is on Council. You will also contact your Mayor, who is your city's chief elected officer.
  • Is it an issue that is controlled by statewide policies or laws? If so, then you will be contacting your State Representative in Columbus at the Ohio House of Representatives and your State Senator in the Ohio Senate. Find out what Ohio House and Senate districts you live in and who your representatives are. You will also contact the Governor, your elected state Chief Executive.
  • Is your issue one of national scope? If so, you will direct your concerns to your representatives in Washington. You are represented by one Congressperson in the U.S. House of Representatives and two Senators who represent your entire state. You will also contact the President and/or Vice-President.

Let your elected representatives know how you feel, and what you want them to do about the problem.
Contact Your Elected Officials

  • Think about what you want them to do. Do you want someone to study the causes of a problem? If that has already been done, do you want your representative to make a new law, or change an old one? If someone else has introduced a new law or suggested a change in an old one, do you want your representative to support the new law, fight it, add to it or take something out of it?
  • Write a letter to your representative about the action you want him or her to take, even if you plan on calling the representative's office. Writing your thoughts and ideas down will solidify them. If you do make the phone call, and follow it up by sending the letter, you will have made twice the impact.
  • Keep your letter as short and clear as possible. Introduce yourself and where you live, what your concern is, and what you want the person to do for you. Be specific. If you have documents to show, or something you want your representative to see, request a meeting. If you are part of a group that is working on the issue, indicate how many people are working with you on this effort (especially if they are all voters in the representative's ward or district).

WEBSITE LINKS
Rock the Vote
MTV's Choose or Lose
Youth Vote 2000
Ohio Senate
Ohio House of Representatives
United States Senate
United States House of Representatives

Youth have an important role to play in the electoral process. If you start making your mark on the process now, it is only a matter of time before elected officials will have to begin to place priority on the younger. You can change history! Vote!



League of Women Voters web site