Vintage 1969 Vote Go 19 A New Age Political Pinback Button Oregon Voting Rights For Sale

Vintage 1969 "VOTE GO 19 A NEW AGE" Political Pinback Button
## Rare Oregon Suffrage & Youth Voting Rights Movement Memorabilia**ITEM SPECIFICS:**
* **Text on Face:** "VOTE GO 19 A NEW AGE"
* **Era / Year:** Late 1969 – Early 1970
* **Campaign Focus:** Lowering the voting age from 21 to 19 (Oregon Measure 5, May 1970 Referendum)
* **Origin:** State of Oregon, USA
* **Type:** Vintage Celluloid / Metal Pinback Badge
* **Dimensions:** Standard size (Approx. 1.25" to 1.5" — please verify exact size)
* **Colors:** Deep Blue background with crisp white lettering---### HISTORICAL BACKGROUND & SIGNIFICANCE
This authentic, original vintage pinback button is a scarce relic from the localized Pacific Northwest youth movement of the late 1960s.In 1969, amid massive societal division over the Vietnam War draft, a 21-year-old student leader named Earl Blumenauer (who would go on to have a legendary 50-year career in politics, including nearly 30 years as a prominent U.S. Congressman representing Oregon) chaired the statewide "Oregonians for Go-19 Committee."While national student activist organizations were aggressively pushing a broader "Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote" platform for an 18-year-old voting age, Blumenauer and local organizers branded their localized Oregon initiative as "Go 19." They strategically targeted age 19 because they believed it was a more "palatable" threshold for conservative voters who were wary of campus unrest.The campaign successfully pushed the issue onto Oregon's May 1970 primary ballot as Measure 5. While the state measure ultimately fell short, the intense local momentum generated by buttons like this one served as a vital stepping stone. It heavily supported the immediate national trend that successfully culminated in the ratification of the 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1971, which lowered the nationwide voting age to 18.The evocative tagline on the bottom of the badge—"A New Age"—perfectly mirrors the distinct cultural shifts, hope, and political optimism of the post-Woodstock era.---### CONDITION DESCRIPTION
This button is in nice, completely untouched vintage pre-owned condition:
* **Front Display:** The iconic blue face remains vibrant with great color preservation. The text is crisp and entirely legible. Displays very minor age-appropriate surface scuffs, light pocket wear, and typical manufacturing lines observable under close inspection.
* **Reverse Side:** The metal back plate exhibits standard, authentic light oxidation/patina consistent with a piece that is over 55 years old. The original locking pin assembly is present, secure, and fully functional.
* **Overall Note:** No severe dents, major rust breakouts, or deep gouges. Excellent cosmetic character for direct display in an Americana, civil rights, or political memorabilia collection.*Please inspect the provided high-resolution photos carefully as they form the primary visual representation of the item's exact condition.*---### SHIPPING & PACKAGING
Your historic pin will be securely wrapped

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