Which amendment granted 18-year-olds the right to vote?

• A. The Twenty-fifth Amendment
• B. The Twenty-sixth Amendment
• C. The Twentieth Amendment
• D. The Twenty-first Amendment

Answer: (B)

The Twenty-sixth Amendment is the correct choice because it specifically lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 years. Ratified in 1971, this amendment was a response to arguments that those who were old enough to be drafted for military service (such as during the Vietnam War) should also have the right to vote. By establishing 18 as the minimum voting age, the amendment aimed to ensure that younger citizens were granted a voice in the democratic process.

The other amendments listed do not relate to voting rights or age restrictions. The Twenty-fifth Amendment deals with presidential succession and disability, the Twentieth Amendment addresses the terms of elected officials and when they begin, and the Twenty-first Amendment repealed Prohibition. Therefore, none of them pertain to the voting age, highlighting the significance of the Twenty-sixth Amendment in expanding democratic participation to younger individuals.