26 th Amendment Voting Age Voting Age Ratified 1971 Ratified 1971

What It Says Right to vote is guaranteed to: Right to vote is guaranteed to: U.S. Citizens age 18 or older U.S. Citizens age 18 or older Cannot be denied by: Cannot be denied by: U.S. Government U.S. Government States States

Examples Right to Vote is Granted: Right to Vote is Granted: U.S. Citizens age 18 and older: U.S. Citizens age 18 and older: Any Race Any Race Any Religion Any Religion Any Ethnicity Any Ethnicity

Causes World War II World War II Slogan: “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote” Slogan: “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote” Originally proposed in 1942 Originally proposed in 1942 Vietnam War Vietnam War Issue gained more attention Issue gained more attention

Related Events Georgia lowers voting age (1943) Georgia lowers voting age (1943) First state to do so First state to do so Only state and local elections Only state and local elections

Court Case Oregon v. United States (1970) Oregon v. United States (1970) Supreme Court Ruling: Supreme Court Ruling: Upholds prohibition of: Upholds prohibition of: Literacy Tests Literacy Tests Certain Residency Requirements Certain Residency Requirements Congress can lower voting age Congress can lower voting age Federal Elections Only Federal Elections Only

26 th Amendment Passed in 1971 Passed in 1971 Officially made the voting age 18 and older Officially made the voting age 18 and older All elections All elections

Impact 1972 Presidential Election 1972 Presidential Election First Election after 26 th Amendment First Election after 26 th Amendment Voters age years old Voters age years old 50% Turnout to vote 50% Turnout to vote

Youth Voter Turnout

Positives Ratification of the 26 th Amendment only took 99 days (from March 1971 to June 1971). Ratification of the 26 th Amendment only took 99 days (from March 1971 to June 1971). It took 11 months to ratify the 15 th Amendment, 15 months to ratify the 19 th Amendment, and 200+ years to ratify the 27 th Amendment. It took 11 months to ratify the 15 th Amendment, 15 months to ratify the 19 th Amendment, and 200+ years to ratify the 27 th Amendment.

Negatives In 1972 – 50% of people ages voted In 1972 – 50% of people ages voted In 2000 – 35% of people ages voted In 2000 – 35% of people ages voted There are eight states that never ratified the 26 th Amendment: Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah There are eight states that never ratified the 26 th Amendment: Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah