What did the Twenty-sixth Amendment do to the voting age?

• A. Lowered the voting age to 18
• B. Banned poll taxes
• C. Guaranteed women's suffrage
• D. Extended the presidential term

Answer: (A)

Lowering the voting age to 18 was accomplished by the Twenty-sixth Amendment, reflecting the idea that people old enough to be drafted for military service should have a voice in choosing their government. During the Vietnam era, many argued that if 18-year-olds could be called to serve, they should also be allowed to vote. The amendment, ratified in 1971, guarantees that the right to vote cannot be denied or abridged on the basis of age for those 18 and older.

The other options point to different changes in U.S. constitutional law: banning poll taxes came from the 24th Amendment, which addressed voting rights in federal elections; guaranteeing women's suffrage was achieved earlier with the 19th Amendment; and extending the presidential term is not a current amendment—those ideas are addressed by other provisions and, in practice, the 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two terms rather than extending terms.