Proposal and ratification Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution

the twenty-sixth amendment in national archives


passage congress

on march 10, 1971, senate voted 94–0 in favor of proposing constitutional amendment guarantee minimum voting age not higher 18. on march 23, 1971, house of representatives voted 401–19 in favor of proposed amendment.

ratification states

having been passed 92nd united states congress, proposed twenty-sixth amendment sent state legislatures consideration. ratification completed on july 1, 1971, after amendment had been ratified following thirty-eight states:

having been ratified three-fourths of states (38), twenty-sixth amendment became part of constitution. on july 5, 1971, administrator of general services, robert kunzig, certified adoption. president nixon , julianne jones, joseph w. loyd jr., , paul s. larimer of young americans in concert signed certificate witnesses. during signing ceremony, held in east room of white house, nixon talked confidence in youth of america.

as meet group today, sense can have confidence america’s new voters, america’s young generation, provide america needs approach our 200th birthday, not strength , not wealth “spirit of ‘76’ spirit of moral courage, spirit of high idealism in believe in american dream, in realize american dream can never fulfilled until every american has equal chance fulfill in own life.

the amendment subsequently ratified following states, bringing total number of ratifying states forty-three:

39. oklahoma — july 1, 1971
40. virginia — july 8, 1971
41. wyoming — july 8, 1971
42. georgia — october 4, 1971
43. south dakota — march 4, 2014

no action has been taken on amendment states of florida, kentucky, mississippi, nevada, new mexico, north dakota, or utah.