If I Were Twenty One

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In 1964 Barry Goldwater campaigned against Lyndon B. Johnson in the presidential election. Goldwater, a Republican from Arizona, who was known for his aggressive campaigning technique, tried to attract voters by warning against the evils of communism and advocating a stepping up of the Vietnam War. However, Johnson won the election with 61% of the votes by launching a successful campaign labelling Goldwater as a political extremist. Goldwater returned to politics afterwards, and was elected to the Senate again.

The issue of the voting age was increasingly in the spotlight as the Vietnam War continued. Many opposed the policy of drafting men at 18 years of age who were not yet old enough to vote, since the voting age was 21. Protesters argued that men should not have to protect and die for their country if they had no say in the direction of the war. In 1971 the 26^th Amendment was ratified by President Nixon, lowering the voting age to 18.

United States Presidential Election, 1964. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1964.

Voting Age. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2015 from: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_age.