How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?

Citizens must be eighteen years old to vote for President in the United States. This requirement is established by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1971, which guarantees the right to vote for all citizens who are at least eighteen years of age. It was enacted to ensure that younger citizens, who are often impacted by governmental policies and decisions, have a voice in the electoral process.

The other age options do not meet the constitutional requirement for voting eligibility in presidential elections. For instance, those who are sixteen or seventeen are still considered minors and are not legally allowed to participate in voting. The age of twenty-one was the previous minimum voting age before the ratification of the 26th Amendment, but now it no longer applies for federal elections.