clear space clear space clear space white space
A
 r c h i v e s   o f   M a r y l a n d   O n l i n e

PLEASE NOTE: The searchable text below was computer generated and may contain typographical errors. Numerical typos are particularly troubling. Click “View pdf” to see the original document.

  Maryland State Archives | Index | Help | Search
search for:
clear space
white space
Constitutional Revision Study Documents of the Constitutional Convention Commission, 1968
Volume 138, Page 51   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
clear space clear space clear space white space

Suffrage and Elections
LOWERING THE MINIMUM VOTING AGE TO 18 YEARS*
PRO AND CON ARGUMENTS
/. BACKGROUND

Under the Constitution it is the pre-
rogative of the states, within certain
limitations, to establish qualifications
for voting. This includes minimum vot-
ing age. With few exceptions, a mini-
mum of 21 years has been standard
practice in this country since colonial
times. Most nations of Western Europe
also have a minimum voting-age re-
quirement of 21 years, but in several it
is appreciably higher — for example, in
the Netherlands 23 years, in Denmark
25 years for the Folkiting and 35 for
the Landsting, and in Italy 21 years for
the Chamber and 25 years for the Sen-
ate. Of the seventeen countries which
have reduced the minimum voting age
to 18, eight are in Latin America, and
eight are communist countries. The
other one is Israel.
Particularly since World War I, a
number of attempts have been made to
lower the minimum voting age to 18, in
* This article was written for The Library
of Congress Legislative Reference Service by
Doris W. Jones, History and Government Di-
vision, June 8, 1956.

some instances through a federal consti-
tutional amendment, and in others
through amendments to state election
codes by action of state legislatures. In
only two states, Georgia and Kentucky,
has the reduction been accomplished.
Georgia lowered the minimum-age
qualification for voting to 18 in 1943,
Kentucky in 1955. (In Alaska the mini-
mum age is 19; in Hawaii it is 20.)
One of the early (1953) constitutional
amendments proposed in the United
States Senate read as follows : 1
"Resolved by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United
1
senate comm. on the judiciary,
hearings with respect to granting
citizens who have attained the age of
eighteen the right to vote. 83d Cong.
1st Sess. 1-2 (1952). S. J. Res. 53
was rejected by the Senate on May 21, 1954,
after debate on the measure, by 34 yeas to
24 nays (a two-thirds affirmative vote being
necessary for adoption of a proposal for a
constitutional amendment).
Hearings on S. J. Res. 53 Before the Stand-
ing Subcomm. on ConstJtufional Amendments
of fhe Senate Comm. on the Judiciary, 83d
Cong., 1st Sess. 1-2.
51

 

 
clear space
clear space
white space

Please view image to verify text. To report an error, please contact us.
Constitutional Revision Study Documents of the Constitutional Convention Commission, 1968
Volume 138, Page 51   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.


Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!



An Archives of Maryland electronic publication.
For information contact mdlegal@mdarchives.state.md.us.

©Copyright  October 06, 2023
Maryland State Archives