No 26th Amendment - US voting age stays at 21

Fulton 44

We are assuming that there is no legislative solution (there was a complex Supreme Court decision which apparently allowed Congress to lower the age only for federal elections) and we are assuming away that legislation and assuming that in all states the effective voting age remains at 21 until the present time.
Which elections will be affected?
1. Does McGovern get the Democrat nomination in 72
2. Does Carter beat Ford in 76?
3. Does Obama get the nomination in 08?
4. Does Trump beat Clinton in 16?
Bear in mind that the higher voting age will not only eliminate voters between ages 18 and 21 but will also lead to a reduction in votes from those just over age 21 who don't "get around to" registering.
Are there any other important impacts?
 
NHBL

NHBL

The unrest among draft age people will continue to grow IMVHO. It's so easy to portray this as "You are cannon fodder..."
I could see someone opposing the draft on 13th amendment grounds. It makes no mention of an exception for military duty.
 

DougM

Eventually this will become an issue and it may end up in the lap of the supreme court,
We have several different things going on.
Age 18 you are considered an adult from a legal point of view (at least in most states back then)
Age 21 to vote.
Age 18 to register for the draft.
Age 15-16 to drive
Age 18 to smoke
Age 18 to 21 (depending on the state and what yearw e are talking) to drink.

This is a confusing mess of different ages. And it is hard to make a legal/logical explanation for why a an ”adult” cant drink or vote. And i could make a reasonable argument that it is illegal to not let an adult of a given age do what an adult of a different age is allowed to do.
So this was going to come to a head at some point. Just as i expect that we will eventually get a renewed argument about drinking age.

But i doubt that verall changing the voting age will have any huge effect on anything. The first election after the change probably sees a LOT of fisrt time voters and a large percentage of those newly eligible (18-20) will turn out because they can. but I doubt that will change thing one way or another when it finally happens just as i doubt it effected the 72 election much.
And not having those younger voters will also not really change things.

So other then kicking the ball down the road a bit I doubt this POD does much.
 
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