Today’s Warm-Up

Take out your Amendment List
th
26
Amendment
Voting Age
 Ratified 1971
By: Michael P. Kelly


What It Says
 Right
 U.S.
to vote is guaranteed to:
Citizens age 18 or older
 Cannot
 U.S.
be denied by:
Government
 States
Examples
 Right

to Vote is Granted:
U.S. Citizens age 18 and older:



Any Race
Any Religion
Any Ethnicity
Causes
 World
War II
Slogan: “Old enough to fight, old
enough to vote”
 Originally proposed in 1942

 Vietnam

War
Issue gained more attention
Related Events

Georgia lowers
voting age (1943)
First state to do so
 Only state and
local elections

Court Case

Oregon v. United States (1970)

Supreme Court Ruling:
 Upholds


prohibition of:
Literacy Tests
Certain Residency Requirements
 Congress

can lower voting age
Federal Elections Only
26th Amendment


Passed in 1971
Officially made the
voting age 18 and older

All elections
Impact
 1972

Presidential Election
First Election after 26th Amendment

Voters age 18-21 years old
 50% Turnout to vote
Youth Voter Turnout
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