Omar Bennett
The Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, also known as Amendment XXVI or the 26th Amendment, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 years old. The Amendment was ratified on July 1, 1971, and it states that the right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age. The drive to lower the voting age gained momentum during the 1960s due to the Vietnam War and the youth activism of the time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Amendment | Twenty-Sixth Amendment |
| Date of Ratification | 1st July 1971 |
| Voting Age Before Amendment | 21 |
| Voting Age After Amendment | 18 |
| Voting Age Reduction Proposal | Proposed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954 |
| Supporters of the Amendment | First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Johnson, Youth Rights Movement |
| Arguments in Support of the Amendment | "Old enough to fight, old enough to vote" |
| Opposition to the Amendment | Representative Emanuel Celler of New York |
| Arguments Against the Amendment | Youth lack "the good judgment" essential to good citizenship |
| States Refusing to Lower Voting Age | 17 |
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What You'll Learn
The Twenty-sixth Amendment
> The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The drive to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 grew across the country during the 1960s and was driven in part by the military draft held during the Vietnam War. The draft conscripted young men between the ages of 18 and 21 to serve in the United States Armed Forces, primarily in Vietnam. This meant that these young men could be required to fight and possibly die for their nation at 18, but they could not legally vote until the age of 21. This discrepancy led to the emergence of a youth rights movement, with proponents of lowering the voting age adopting the slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote".
The movement to lower the voting age gained momentum when President Dwight D. Eisenhower used his 1954 State of the Union address to call upon Congress to propose a constitutional amendment permitting citizens to vote at the age of 18. Widespread public support for lowering the voting age followed in the 1960s, with increasing public opposition to the Vietnam War renewing debates over voting rights. The increasing number of young Americans graduating from high school, going to college, and engaging in political and social activism also contributed to a growing national awareness of the process of crafting laws and constitutional amendments.
In March 1971, a proposed amendment to lower the voting age for all levels of government was passed by both chambers of Congress. The amendment was then sent out to the states for ratification, and it was officially ratified on July 1, 1971, with 38 states approving it. The Twenty-sixth Amendment has faced several legal challenges since its ratification, with arguments ranging from the representation of college students at the polls to the validity of voter identification laws under the amendment.
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The Vietnam War's influence
The Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, was passed on July 1, 1971. The Amendment was the culmination of a decades-long movement for youth suffrage, which gained significant momentum during the Vietnam War.
During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt lowered the military draft age to 18, leading to the slogan "Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote". This slogan was a rallying cry for a youth voting rights movement, which gained some powerful supporters, including President Eisenhower, who in 1954 became the first president to publicly support prohibiting age-based denials of suffrage for those 18 and older. However, it wasn't until the Vietnam War that the movement gained widespread public support.
The Vietnam War brought the issue of youth suffrage to the forefront once again. Young men between the ages of 18 and 21 were being conscripted to fight and risk their lives, yet they were not allowed to vote and had no say in the government's decision to wage war. This discrepancy between the draft age and the voting age led to a renewed push for lowering the voting age. The slogan "Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote" was used once more, with Senator Edward Kennedy arguing that the large number of young men fighting and dying in Vietnam deserved the right to vote.
The youth rights movement of the 1960s was driven by young people's increasing involvement in social and political issues, such as the civil rights movement. The Vietnam War also played a significant role in mobilizing young people to demand the right to vote. Anti-war protests often included calls for the right of draftees to have a say in their fate. The escalation of the war and the increasing number of young Americans being drafted energized the campaign to lower the voting age.
The Twenty-sixth Amendment was passed by Congress on March 23, 1971, and ratified on July 1, 1971. It was the fastest amendment to be passed in US history, minting 11 million new voters. The Amendment ensured that "the right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age."
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Youth activism
The earliest calls for lowering the voting age emerged in the 1940s, with Congressional proposals endorsed by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In 1942, during World War II, Congress lowered the minimum age for the military draft to 18, creating a discrepancy where young men were expected to fight for their country but were denied the right to vote. This sparked a youth voting rights movement, with the slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote." In 1943, Georgia became the first state to lower the voting age to 18 in state and local elections, although this was limited to white youth due to Jim Crow laws.
In the 1950s and 1960s, young people's participation in the civil rights movement and other social and political causes, such as opposition to the Vietnam War, further fuelled the push for a lower voting age. The increasing number of young Americans graduating from high school, attending college, and engaging in activism led to a growing national awareness of the process of crafting laws and Constitutional amendments.
The youth voting rights movement gained widespread public support in the 1960s, with President Dwight D. Eisenhower calling on Congress in 1954 to propose a constitutional amendment lowering the voting age to 18. The drive to lower the voting age was also influenced by the military draft during the Vietnam War, where young men aged 18 to 21 were conscripted to serve in a conflict they had no political authority to vote on. This led to the resurgence of the "old enough to fight, old enough to vote" slogan.
The momentum for change culminated in the passage of the Twenty-sixth Amendment in 1971, with young activists playing a pivotal role in its ratification. The amendment extended the right to vote to all Americans aged 18 and older, ensuring that young people could have a say in the political processes that directly impacted their lives.
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The old enough to fight slogan
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which was ratified on July 1, 1971, lowered the voting age for all Americans from 21 to 18 years. The drive to lower the voting age grew across the country during the 1960s, driven in part by the military draft held during the Vietnam War. The draft conscripted young men between the ages of 18 and 21 into the armed forces, primarily the U.S. Army, to serve in or support military combat operations in Vietnam. This meant that these young men could be required to fight and possibly die for their nation during wartime, but they were unable to have a legal say in the government's decision to wage that war until the age of 21.
A youth rights movement emerged in response, calling for a similar reduction in the voting age. A common slogan used by proponents of lowering the voting age was "old enough to fight, old enough to vote". This slogan highlighted the discrepancy between the legal age for military service and the legal age for voting. It argued that if someone was considered old enough to fight and risk their life for their country, they should also be considered mature enough to have a say in the political decisions that affect their lives.
The slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote" has its roots in World War II when President Franklin D. Roosevelt lowered the military draft age to 18. However, it gained renewed traction during the Vietnam War, as many young men who were ineligible to vote were conscripted to fight in the war, lacking any means to influence the people sending them off to risk their lives. The increasing public opposition to the Vietnam War in the late 1960s and early 1970s further fueled debates over lowering the voting age.
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment addressed this discrepancy between the legal ages for military service and voting, guaranteeing 18-year-olds the right to vote in all elections. This amendment faced legal challenges, with arguments surrounding the representation of out-of-town college students at the polls and the extension of the amendment to other political institutions, such as serving on a jury. Despite these challenges, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment stands as a significant milestone in recognizing the rights and responsibilities of young citizens in the United States.
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Legal challenges
The Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, has faced a few legal challenges since its ratification. The amendment, which was ratified on July 1, 1971, was the result of a youth voting rights movement that gained momentum during the Vietnam War. The slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote" became a rallying cry for the movement, as many young men were being drafted to fight in a war that they had no political authority to vote on.
One of the legal challenges to the Twenty-sixth Amendment came in the form of the Supreme Court case of Oregon v. Mitchell. In this case, it was determined that Congress has the authority to lower the voting age for federal elections, but not for state elections. This decision resulted in states being able to maintain 21 as the voting age in state and local elections, but they were required to establish separate voter rolls for voters between 18 and 21 years old to vote in federal elections.
Another legal challenge to the amendment has been the question of how out-of-town college students are represented at the polls. The argument centres around whether these students should be allowed to vote in their college town or their hometown. This has been a contentious issue, as the number of young Americans attending college and engaging in political activism has been increasing.
Furthermore, there have been legal challenges to determine if the Twenty-sixth Amendment extends to other political institutions, such as serving on a jury. This question has arisen as the amendment specifically addresses the right to vote and does not mention other forms of political participation. Additionally, there have been debates over the validity of voter identification laws in relation to the amendment.
The Twenty-sixth Amendment has had a significant impact on youth voter turnout in recent elections. In the 2018 midterm elections, youth voter turnout reached the highest levels since the ratification of the amendment. Additionally, youth voter turnout in 2020 was one of the highest in decades, demonstrating the continued engagement of young people in the political process.
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Frequently asked questions
The Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
The Twenty-sixth Amendment was ratified on July 1, 1971.
The Twenty-sixth Amendment was passed due to increasing public opposition to the Vietnam War. The U.S. military draft age was 18, leading to many citizens being ordered to fight in a conflict they had no political authority to vote on. This gave rise to the slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote".
