In the year 1971, the 26th amendment was ratified, giving young adults the right to vote in United States elections and outlawing age discrimination.
Fifty years have gone by since the amendment was passed, and the main goal on this anniversary is to keep the promise made to the young adult population of the United States. A panel of ETSU students, faculty and staff come together every year to celebrate the anniversary and discuss the importance of the amendment, also exploring ways to stop the voting barrier some young adults, and especially college students, face today.
Those participating in this discussion came together via Zoom on the September 23, sharing their views on the promise of the amendment to America’s new voters.
One student at ETSU, Madison Benton, spoke about her confidence being a new voter today. She stated in an interview, “I know that I can vote today, and I am excited to be able to have that chance, but sometimes I don’t feel like my vote will make any difference in an election until I’m older.”
Students like Madison are encouraged to know that their vote does matter in any setting, but this yearly discussion expands beyond the topic of whether or not young adult votes matter. As more years pass since the amendment was passed, the younger population is extremely diverse, and with it, this the promise of the 26th amendment expands to not only young voter confidence, but also how this diversity expands to racial inequality.
A new promise of the amendment is ensuring that young adults will not face voter oppression against their race. This was the highlight of the year’s discussion: facing racial injustice, voter incompetence and, as always, ensuring that the voices of young adults will always be heard while they take part in elections and in the world.
