Start / Civics 101 / Why is the voting age 18

Why is the voting age 18?

36 min • 3 september 2024

For most of our nation's history, the voting age was 21. So how'd we get it down to 18? In one sense, it was the fastest ratified amendment in history. In another, it took three decades. Our guide to the hard-won fight for youth enfranchisement is Jennifer Frost, author of "Let Us Vote!" Youth Voting Rights and the 26th Amendment.

WIN A NEW CAR OR 25K IN CASH DURING NHPR'S SUMMER RAFFLE! GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.
CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more!
To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice, featuring illustrations by Tom Toro.
Check out our other weekly NHPR podcast, Outside/In - we think you'll love it!

Senaste avsnitt

Why is the voting age 18?

Senaste avsnitt

Civics lessons from Karen Read's retrial

Forget hypotheticals: How are tariffs affecting American businesses?

Cinematic Civics: Independence Day

What does the Senate Parliamentarian do?

How political “framing” shapes our thoughts

Cinematic Civics: The Manchurian Candidate

How is the Alien Enemies Act being used right now?

What is the Alien Enemies Act?

How President Trump is trying to change elections

Fixing a problem that doesn't exist

How can Congress check the president?

Who pays for public media?

What happens when we don't trust democracy?

What is the Rule of Law?

Efficiency v. Democracy

Why do we have the National Weather Service?

Who decides what politicians should say?

April Fools: Politicians, the press, and more

The Politics Behind Your Taxes

How does the Post Office work?

The Kids are Alright: Civics Ed Update

Who's running the country? (Part 2)

Who's running the country? (Part 1)

A midwife's early American story

NY Times v Sullivan: What if the press couldn’t tell the truth?

All The President's Lawyers

What is a Constitutional crisis?

What are Executive Orders?

The Great Fluoride Debate

Trump's Executive Orders

Birthright Citizenship: The SCOTUS case that solidified the 14th Amendment

What is the Department of Education?

What are Trump's Climate Plans?

Secretary of Transportation with Pete Buttigieg

Presidential Funerals: How and Why We Mourn Our Leaders

Holiday Trivia: What's been on the White House Christmas menu?

How do tariffs work?

What is authoritarianism?

What can (and can't) the Secretary of Health and Human Services do?

The Supreme Court's Criminal Trial

What is the Cabinet? And how can appointments work?

Trump's "Day One" Promises

How do presidential transitions happen?

What happens to ensure your vote for president is counted?

Life in the wake of January 6th

US vs: Healthcare

What Remains: Science, ethics, and the Smithsonian’s bone collection

Why does corruption matter?

How can the president stop a strike?

How YOU can help preserve our democracy (really)

What is "Originalism?"

The Mighty Mississippi

It's Been A Minute: Video Games vs. Journalism vs. Robert Frost

What Does the President DO?

Why is the voting age 18?

Middle Class, Totally Relatable & Elite! (The Campaign Jargon Trivia Episode)

So Long, Chevron

Go play a game.

What is a whistleblower?

How does the Order of Succession work?

How Are Cities Chosen For The Olympics?

Kamala Harris will be the nominee. What now?

Why was the documents case against Donald Trump dismissed?

Introducing “The Youth Development Center”

Where History and Love Collide: Doris Kearns Goodwin on the 60s and Today

Moyle v U.S.: Why did SCOTUS punt an abortion case?

The CPB and the Politics of Public Media

What does the Supreme Court's immunity decision mean?

What is the Smithsonian?

The Second Amendment - What does it mean?

What's up with those flags?

Strikes, Unions and Workers' Rights

Why do we have the National Zoo?

What's it like to report on Congress?

Why ballot design matters

What is Money?

A city government, a looming disaster, and a complicated choice

"I see a temple that we built."