The 26th Amendment: A Brief History.
On the amendment protecting the youth vote.
The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.
The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The 26th Amendment — ratified in 1971 — effectively set the minimum voting age requirement to 18 across the United States (1).
Originally left to the states to decide (per Article 1 Section 4 of the Constitution), the amendment gave voice to a critical segment of the national voting base — the youth (2).
RockTheVote.org defines a “youth voter” as one between the ages of 18–25 (3). Contexts vary, but the ultimate factor lies in responsibilities issued to adult citizens, such as serving in the military.
The amendment emerged from a trying period in American history. Amidst an unpopular war overseas and social upheaval at home, the nation was forced to reckon with its gravest sins dating back to its founding.
Among these sins was the restriction of access to the ballot box.
