WASHINGTON — Some Republicans are calling for a higher voting age, like this tweet that sparked discussion over the weekend. One of our viewers texted us wanting to know if states can increase the voting age.
THE QUESTION
Can states increase the voting age on their own?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, it would be unconstitutional for states to increase the voting age due to the 26th Amendment.
WHAT WE FOUND
First off, the voting age wasn’t always 18. In 1970, 48 of the 50 states did not allow 18-year-olds to vote. That changed in 1971 with the ratification of the 26th Amendment, which dropped the voting age to 18 across the entire country for all elections.
The language of the 26th Amendment is clear: for citizens 18 and up, the right to vote quote “shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.”
So no, states can’t increase the voting age to 21 on their own. Not even Congress can.
If Republicans wanted to increase the voting age, they would have to pass another constitutional amendment. That would require support from three quarters of the states, or 38 of the 50.
It’s worth noting that the same restriction doesn’t apply for reducing the voting age. That’s why in some parts of Maryland, 16-year-olds can vote in local elections, and why some states allow some 17-year-olds to vote in the primaries if they'll turn 18 before the general election.