Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18?

Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18?

• A. 26th Amendment
• B. 19th Amendment
• C. 15th Amendment
• D. 14th Amendment

Answer: (A)

Expanding who can vote by setting the minimum age at 18 creates a uniform standard for participation across federal, state, and local elections. This change was made by an amendment ratified in 1971, which specifically lowered the voting age to 18. The idea is that if 18-year-olds can be drafted for military service or take on other adult civic responsibilities, they should also have a voice in choosing their leaders and shaping public policy.

To see how this fits into the broader constitutional timeline: another amendment granted voting rights to women, another prohibited voting restrictions based on race, and another clarified citizenship and equal protection under the law. These address different aspects of who can vote or how voting rights are protected, not the age threshold.

So, the amendment that lowered the voting age to 18 is the one ratified in 1971, establishing 18 as the universal voting age.