Amendment1971
26th Amendment Proposed to States
Following congressional passage, the 26th Amendment was submitted to the states for ratification, proposing to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. The amendment was driven by the argument that if 18-year-olds were old enough to be drafted for the Vietnam War, they were old enough to vote.
Why It Matters
The 26th Amendment, ratified in record time, expanded democratic participation to millions of young Americans and affirmed the principle that those subject to governmental authority should have a voice in choosing their leaders.