Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18?

The amendment that lowered the voting age to 18 is the Twenty-sixth Amendment. Ratified in 1971, this significant change reflected the growing sentiment during the Vietnam War that if individuals were old enough to fight for their country, they should also have the right to vote. This amendment was a direct response to the calls for equality and participation in democracy, especially from younger Americans who felt disenfranchised.

The Twenty-fourth Amendment, while important for prohibiting poll taxes in federal elections, does not address the voting age. The Twentieth Amendment is primarily concerned with the terms of the President and Congress and the timing of their elections, while the Fifteenth Amendment focuses on prohibiting discrimination in voting rights based on race. Each of these amendments serves distinct purposes in the landscape of U.S. voting rights, but the Twenty-sixth Amendment specifically addresses the age of voters.