What is the voting age in the United States?
In the United States, the voting age is 18. This has been the case since 1971 when the 26th amendment was passed. This amendment changed the voting age to 18 from the previous 21. The amendment was a response to an increased interest in politics by younger voters. In Washington, the voting age is the same as the rest of the United States. All citizens 18 and older are eligible to register to vote and participate in elections in Washington. Election law also recognizes that individuals who are 17 years old may pre-register to vote. The pre-registration option is available to those who will be 18 by the next election date, however, they will not be eligible to vote until they turn 18. In previous decades, the voting age was even lower in some areas of the United States. In the early 1700s, some states allowed 17-year-olds to vote in elections. This was changed in the early 1800s when the voting age became 21 in most states. The 26th amendment was passed in 1971 to ensure that all citizens in the United States, regardless of age, had the right to vote. The amendment was a response to the increased level of political activism among younger generations, and it allowed them to have a say in their government.
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