View source for Constitution of the United States/Twenty-Sixth Amend.

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{{Breadcrumb|parent_page=Constitution of the United States|alias =Twenty-Sixth Amendment}}<font size="+3">Twenty-Sixth Amendment Reduction of Voting Age</font>

===Overview===

In extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in 1970,<ref><span id="ALDF_00012493">79 Stat. 437, ''as extended and amended by'' 84 Stat. 314, [https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:42%20section:1971%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section1971)&amp;f=treesort&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim 42 U.S.C. &#167;&#167; 1971] et seq.</span></ref> Congress included a provision lowering the age qualification to vote in all elections, federal, state, and local, to eighteen.<ref><span id="ALDF_00012494">Title 3, 84 Stat. 318, [https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:42%20section:1973bb%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section1973bb)&amp;f=treesort&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim 42 U.S.C. &#167; 1973bb].</span></ref> In a divided decision, the Supreme Court held that Congress was empowered to lower the age qualification in federal elections, but voided the application of the provision in all other elections as beyond congressional power.<ref><span id="ALDF_00012495"> ''[[Oregon v. Mitchell]]'', 400 U.S. 112 (1970).</span></ref> Confronted thus with the possibility that they might have to maintain two sets of registration books and go to the expense of running separate election systems for federal elections and for all other elections, the states were receptive to the proposing of an Amendment by Congress to establish a minimum age qualification at eighteen for all elections, and ratified it promptly.<ref><span id="ALDF_00012496"> S. Rep. No. 26, 92d Cong., 1st Sess. (1971); H.R. Rep. No. 37, 92d Cong., 1st Sess. (1971).</span></ref>

==Section 1 Eighteen Years of Age==

:<big>'''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Twenty-Sixth Amend./Section 1 Eighteen Years of Age|Main Article]]'''</big>{{Clause|Clause Text|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.}}

==Section 2 Enforcement==

:<big>'''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Twenty-Sixth Amend./Section 2 Enforcement|Main Article]]'''</big>{{Clause|Clause Text|The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.}}