    [Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 117th Congress]
    [117th Congress]
    [House Document 116-177]
    [The United States Constitution]
    [Pages 124-125]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                         AMENDMENT XXVI.\17\

    Sec. 257. Right to vote extended to persons 18
    years of age or older.

      Section 1.  The right of citizens of the United States, who
    are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or
    abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

      \17\The 26th amendment to the Constitution was proposed by
    the Congress on March 23, 1971. It was declared, in a certificate of the
    Administrator of General Services, dated July 5, 1971, to have been
    ratified by the legislatures of 39 of the 50 States. The dates of
    ratification were: Connecticut, March 23, 1971; Delaware, March 23,
    1971; Minnesota, March 23, 1971; Tennessee, March 23, 1971; Washington,
    March 23, 1971; Hawaii, March 24, 1971; Massachusetts, March 24, 1971;
    Montana, March 29, 1971; Arkansas, March 30, 1971; Idaho, March 30,
    1971; Iowa, March 30, 1971; Nebraska, April 2, 1971; New Jersey, April
    3, 1971; Kansas, April 7, 1971; Michigan, April 7, 1971; Alaska, April
    8, 1971; Maryland, April 8, 1971; Indiana, April 8, 1971; Maine, April
    9, 1971; Vermont, April 16, 1971; Louisiana, April 17, 1971; California,
    April 19, 1971; Colorado, April 27, 1971; Pennsylvania, April 27, 1971;
    Texas, April 27, 1971; South Carolina, April 28, 1971; West Virginia,
    April 28, 1971; New Hampshire, May 13, 1971; Arizona, May 14, 1971;
    Rhode Island, May 27, 1971; New York, June 2, 1971; Oregon, June 4,
    1971; Missouri, June 14, 1971; Wisconsin, June 22, 1971; Illinois, June
    29, 1971; Alabama, June 30, 1971; Ohio, June 30, 1971; North Carolina,
    July 1, 1971; Oklahoma, July 1, 1971.

      Ratification was completed on July 1, 1971.

    [[Page 125]]

      The amendment was subsequently ratified by Virginia, July 8, 1971;
    Wyoming, July 8, 1971; Georgia, October 4, 1971.

      Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
    appropriate legislation.