Analysis of the Right to Vote and Age Dilemma: US & Texas Context

This essay explores the significance of the right to vote, focusing on the Constitution of Texas and the 26th Amendment to the US Constitution, which lowered the voting age. It examines the historical context of voting rights, the debates surrounding voter eligibility, and the challenges faced when individuals turn eighteen between primary and general elections. The essay also considers the perspectives of different age groups regarding voting rights and concludes by reflecting on the potential impact of extending voting rights to seventeen-year-olds during primary elections within the Texas context. Desklib provides access to similar essays and study resources for students.

Running head: RIGHT TO VOTE AND AGE DILEMMA
Right to Vote and Age Dilemma
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1RIGHT TO VOTE AND AGE DILEMMA
Almost all the countries of the world follows a political system where the representative
of the people heads the functions of the State. Such a political system is possible when the people
of that State has the power to vote and choose their leaders. This power that is entrusted to the
people is of utmost significance because within their hands they have the power to decide the
future course of action of their concerned state for the next few years (Bobbio, 2017). As such,
the right to vote is perhaps the most important right that is entrusted to people for the sake of
their well-being. This essay seeks to analyze the significance of the right to vote based on the
analysis of the Constitution of Texas and the amendment that was brought about within the
Government of the United States of America in the form of the twenty sixth amendment.
During the initial days of the inception of the agency of the nation states and their
respective governments, there was a great debate on who should have the power to choose the
elected representative of the states (Douglas, 2016). The power was first given to the property
owners, then to the people engaged in various professions of the state. However, with the
changes in times, the outlook of the state leaders and of the people gradually began to change
and this also brought about a change in the right to vote as entrusted to the people. The
Constitution of the United States of America allowed people who are above the age of eighteen
to vote and choose their representative to the government. This change was brought about by the
purview of the twenty sixth amendment to the Constitution
In the year 1970, a senator, Ted Kennedy proposed to amend the Voting Rights Act, 1965
in order to lower the national voting age ("26th Amendment", 2019). This was given assent to by
President Richard Nixon on 22nd June, 1970. This amendment was considered to be necessary
because the adult population of a place should have the right to choose their elected
representative. Since the earlier voting age was that of twenty years, it was not fair for all those

2RIGHT TO VOTE AND AGE DILEMMA
people in between eighteen and twenty not to be able to choose their representatives. This posed
a serious challenge to the state leaders especially when the issue arose that people who were
seventeen years of age during the time of party primary elections but turned eighteen before the
General Elections in November, should they be allowed to vote ("Texas Legislature Online -
85(R) History for HJR 31", 2019).
The people who face such a dilemma would be for the proposal to allow them to vote
during both the stages of elections. However, the people who were below seventeen years would
be against this as they would feel left out. If I was a member of the Constitution, I would have
wanted people to vote for me. If such a proposal would have been passed by the American
Government, the people of Texas would have accepted it.

3RIGHT TO VOTE AND AGE DILEMMA
References:
26th Amendment. (2019). LII / Legal Information Institute.
Bobbio, N. (2017). The age of rights. John Wiley & Sons.
Douglas, J. A. (2016). State Judges and the Right to Vote. Ohio St. LJ, 77, 1.
References:
Texas Legislature Online - 85(R) History for HJR 31. (2019). Capitol.texas.gov.