"They then hired me in early 1969 to run Project 18, which became the leading force in creation and operation of the national Youth Franchise Coalition. YFC was the umbrella group that pushed for the amendment."
~Les Francis
Project 18
In protests during the Vietnam War, students used the slogan "Old enough to fight, old enough to vote" as proof that the voting age should be lowered. In 1969 the National Education Association started Project 18, a movement dedicated to lowering the voting age in the United States. Project 18 influenced many 18-20-year-olds to become involved in civic movements and support a lower voting age. President Richard Nixon signed the Voting Rights Act in 1970, an attempt to lower the voting age, but the new act was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The NEA then focused its attention on amending the constitution. Project 18 succeeded when the Senate voted 94-0 to pass the amendment resolution, the House also voted in favor, and the states later ratified the amendment (40 Years).