Editing Voting age (section)

==Chronology of lowering the voting age to 18==
The following is a [[chronology|chronological]] list of the dates upon which countries lowered the voting age to 18; unless otherwise indicated, the reduction was from 21. In some cases the age was lowered [[Gradualism|decrementally]], and so the "staging points" are also given. Some information is also included on the relevant legal instruments involved.

*1863: Argentina (Previously 21 per the [[:es:Ley 140 de Argentina|Law 140 of 1857]], reduced to 18 with the Law 75/1863)<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Querido |first1=Leandro |last2=Repilloza Fernández |first2=Eduardo |date=2022 |title=36 años de elecciones Presidenciales en argentina |url=https://transparenciaelectoral.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/36-anos-de-elecciones-presidenciales-en-Argentina_Transparencia-Electoral.pdf |website=Transparencia Electoral |publisher=Editorial Dunken |page=27 |language=es |publication-place=Buenos Aires |isbn=978-987-85-2036-0}}</ref>
*1924: Turkey (Previously 25 per the [[Ottoman constitution of 1876|1876 constitution]], reduced to 18 with the [[Turkish Constitution of 1924|1924 constitution]]. It was again raised to 22 on 5 December 1934 while granting full women's suffrage, and gradually lowered to 21 in [[Turkish Constitution of 1961|1961]], 20 in 1987 and 18 again in 1995)<ref>[http://www.byegm.gov.tr/mevzuat/anayasa/anayasa-ing.htm The Constitution of the Republic of Turkey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203170110/http://www.byegm.gov.tr/mevzuat/anayasa/anayasa-ing.htm |date=3 February 2007 }}, Article 67</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Turkey-GOVERNMENT.html|title=Encyclopedia of the Nations, Turkey|publisher=Nationsencyclopedia.com|access-date=6 January 2011}}</ref>
*1946: [[Czechoslovakia]]<ref name="DN" />
*1952: Poland<ref>{{Cite web |last=Szypszak |first=Lara |title=Research Guides: Polish-American Relations, 1918 to Present: Manuscript Resources at the Library of Congress: A Brief Timeline of Modern Polish History |url=https://guides.loc.gov/poland-manuscripts/timeline |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=guides.loc.gov |language=en}}</ref>
*1958: South Africa ([[White South African|white]] voters only; [[Electoral Law Amendment Act, 1958]])<ref>{{cite book|first=Muriel|last=Horrell|title=A Survey of Race Relations in South Africa, 1957–1958|publisher=South African Institute of Race Relations|page=10|url=http://www.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/cis/omalley/OMalleyWeb/dat/SAIRR%20Survey%201957-58.pdf|access-date=28 June 2011}}</ref>
*1969: United Kingdom ([[Representation of the People Act 1969]]){{Refn|The [[1970 United Kingdom general election]] is the first in which this Act had effect.|group=nb}}
*1970
**Canada (June 26)<ref>{{cite news|title=Young Canadians and the Voting Age: Should It Be Lowered?|publisher=[[Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN)]]|year=2005|url=http://www.cprn.org/en/static/EN-diversity-voting.html|access-date=5 February 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725201003/http://www.cprn.org/en/static/EN-diversity-voting.html|archive-date=25 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Canadian History 1900–1999|publisher=Canadian History Directory|date=1 January 2007|url=http://www3.telus.net/public/dgarneau/canada-2.htm|access-date=6 February 2007|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203512/http://www3.telus.net/public/dgarneau/canada-2.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> for federal elections, via amendment to [[Canada Elections Act]].
**West Germany<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/lobby/8522/wahl16_e.html |title=(missing) |publisher=Webcitation.org |access-date=15 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091020025236/http://geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/8522/wahl16_e.html |archive-date=20 October 2009}}</ref>
*1971
**Netherlands (previous reduction from 23 to 21 in 1965)
**United States (1 July), per the [[Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Twenty-sixth Amendment]]. Previously reduced on 1 January 1971 by the [[Voting Rights Act#Periodic renewal|Voting Rights Act Amendments 1970, ss. 302, 305]]<ref>Title 3, 84 Stat. 318, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1973bb.; text reproduced in [[Oregon v. Mitchell]], 400 U.S. 112, 223</ref> (Prior reductions: [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] in August 1943,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Suffrage Jr|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,933171,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214181715/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,933171,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 December 2008|date=16 August 1943}}</ref> [[Kentucky]] in 1955,<ref name="MarylandDJS">[http://www.djs.state.md.us/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000138/html/am138--51.html ''"Lowering the Minimum Voting Age to Eighteen Years - Pro and Con Arguments"'']{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Constitutional Revision Study Documents of the [[Maryland]] Constitutional Convention Commission, 1968. Retrieved 5 February 2007.</ref> [[Guam]] in 1954<ref name="Cheng">{{cite news|last=Cheng|first=J.|title=The 'Qualified Voter' and the Minimum Voting Age|publisher=Department of Political Science, University of Michigan|url=http://millercenter.virginia.edu/pubs/dissertation_chapters/2005/cheng.pdf|access-date=5 February 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213205121/http://www.millercenter.virginia.edu/pubs/dissertation_chapters/2005/cheng.pdf|archive-date=13 February 2006}}</ref> and [[American Samoa]] in 1965.<ref name="Cheng" />)
*1972: Finland (from 20; previous reductions were 24 to 21 in 1944 and 21 to 20 in 1968/1969)<ref>{{cite news|title=HS Gallup: Little public support for reduction in voting age|publisher=Helsingin Sanomat International Edition&nbsp;— Metro|date=11 January 2007|url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/HS+Gallup+Little+public+support+for+reduction+in+voting+age/1135224233031|access-date=5 February 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208144022/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/HS+Gallup+Little+public+support+for+reduction+in+voting+age/1135224233031|archive-date=8 February 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eduskunta.fi/fakta/historia/eng/tapahtuma_aika.htm|title=Sanasto|publisher=Eduskunta.fi|date=1 March 2000|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514233542/http://www.eduskunta.fi/fakta/historia/eng/tapahtuma_aika.htm|archive-date=14 May 2011}}</ref>
*1973 
**Ireland (5 January) via [[Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|4th Amendment of the Constitution]]. Women under 30 gained the vote in local elections in 1935<ref>{{cite web |date=29 March 1935 |title=Local Government (Extension of Franchise) Act, 1935 |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1935/act/9/section/2/enacted/en/html |access-date=4 November 2016 |work=[[Irish Statute Book]] |pages=Section 2 (1)}}; {{cite web |last=O'Kelly |first=Seán T. |author-link=Seán T. O'Kelly |date=12 July 1933 |title=Local Government (Extension of Franchise) Bill, 1933—Second Stage. |url=http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/seanad1933071200005#N9 |access-date=4 November 2016 |work=Seanad Éireann Debates |pages=Vol. 17 No. 2 p.5 cc116–117 |no-pp=y |quote=Clearly the theory [...] that married women under 30 years of age, although they may vote at a Dáil election, are not competent to vote at a local government election, will not stand.}}</ref> and in [[Dáil]] elections and referendums in 1922 ([[Constitution of the Irish Free State]]<ref>{{cite web |date=6 December 1922 |title=Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) Act, 1922 |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1922/act/1/schedule/1/enacted/en/html |access-date=4 November 2016 |work=[[Irish Statute Book]] |pages=Schedule 1, Article 14 |no-pp=y |quote=All citizens of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) without distinction of sex, who have reached the age of twenty-one years and who comply with the provisions of the prevailing electoral laws, shall have the right to vote for members of Dáil Eireann, and to take part in the Referendum and Initiative.}}</ref>). The only popular election ([[1925 Seanad election|in 1925]]) to the [[Free State Seanad]] had a voting age of 30.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Coakley |first=John |date=September 2005 |title=Ireland's Unique Electoral Experiment: The Senate Election of 1925 |journal=Irish Political Studies |volume=20 |issue=3 |pages=231–269: 234 |doi=10.1080/07907180500359327 |s2cid=145175747}}</ref> {{Crossreference|(See also [[History of the franchise in Ireland]].)}}
**Philippines (17 January): after the 1973 constitution was announced to have been [[1973 Philippine constitutional plebiscite|approved in a plebiscite]]. Among other things, the new constitution lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
**Australia ([[New South Wales]] was the first state to do so, in 1970)
*1974 
**France (July 5) (Act No. 74-631)<ref>{{cite web |title=La Constitution du 4 Octobre 1958 |url=http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/langues/anglais/cst1.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208194159/http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/langues/anglais/cst1.pdf |archive-date=8 December 2006 |access-date=5 February 2007}}, Art. 3 and [http://195.83.177.9/code/liste.phtml?lang=uk&c=22&r=348 Le Code Civil francais] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928061159/http://195.83.177.9/code/liste.phtml?lang=uk&c=22&r=348|date=28 September 2007}}, Art. 488</ref>
**New Zealand: (November) (from 20; previous reduction from 21 to 20 in 1969)<ref>[http://www.elections.org.nz/study/history/right-to-vote.html Elections New Zealand] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212073607/http://www.elections.org.nz/study/history/right-to-vote.html|date=12 February 2007}}, "The Right to Vote". Retrieved 5 February 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/New-Zealand-GOVERNMENT.html Encyclopedia of the Nations, New Zealand]. Retrieved 6 February 2007.</ref>
**Australia<ref>{{Cite web |last=corporateName=Australian Electoral Commission; address=10 Mort Street |first=Canberra ACT 2600; contact=13 23 26 |title=Australian voting history in action |url=https://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/25/theme1-voting-history.htm |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=Australian Electoral Commission |language=en-AU}}</ref>
**Dominica<ref>[http://www.lennoxhonychurch.com/article.cfm?Id=394 ''Important Dates in Dominica's History''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830091704/http://www.lennoxhonychurch.com/article.cfm?Id=394|date=30 August 2013}}, Lennox Honychurch</ref>
*1975 
**Sweden (Increased from 21 to 24 in 1911, then lowered to 23 in 1921, 21 in 1945, 20 in 1965, 19 in 1968 and finally to 18 in 1975)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rj.se/globalassets/rapporter/rostrattens_arhundrade_www.rj.se.pdf|title=Rostrattens Arhundrade|language=Swedish|year=2018|last1=Holgersson|first1=Ulrika|last2=Wängnerud|first2=Lena|work=Riksbankens Jubileumsfond}}</ref>
**Italy (lowered from 21; this reduction did not apply to Senate elections)
*1976: Trinidad and Tobago
*1978
**Denmark (19 September) (from 20; 53.8% in [[1978 Danish electoral age referendum|referendum]]; previous reductions were [[1953 Danish constitutional and electoral age referendum|25 to 23]] in 1953, [[1961 Danish electoral age referendum|23 to 21]] in 1961 and [[1971 Danish electoral age referendum|21 to 20]] in 1971)<ref>{{cite web |title=folketinget.dk, "Representative democracy and referenda" |url=http://www.folketinget.dk/BAGGRUND/00000047/00232629.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721115249/http://www.folketinget.dk/BAGGRUND/00000047/00232629.htm |archive-date=21 July 2009 |access-date=15 January 2013 |publisher=Folketinget.dk}}</ref>
**Spain (29 December) ([[Spanish Constitution of 1978|1978 Constitution]])<ref>{{cite journal |last=Maravall |first=J.M. |date=July 1979 |title=Political Cleavages in Spain and the 1979 General Election |journal=Government and Opposition |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=299–317 |doi=10.1111/j.1477-7053.1979.tb00247.x |s2cid=145353149}}</ref>
*1979: Peru
*1981: Belgium<ref>[http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/World-Leaders-2003/Belgium-POLITICAL-BACKGROUND.html Encyclopedia of the Nations, Belgium]. Retrieved 6 February 2007.</ref>
*1989: India (28 March) (61st Constitution Amendment Act, 1988 read with Act 21 of 1989)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ceodelhi.nic.in/FAQ/FAQs3.asp|title=Official Website of the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, FAQs Q21|publisher=Ceodelhi.nic.in|date=28 March 1989|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721163519/http://ceodelhi.nic.in/FAQ/FAQs3.asp|archive-date=21 July 2011}}</ref>
*1991: Switzerland (from 20; referendum held on 3 March)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home.html/dvd_rom/eng/direct_democracy_2004/content/politsystem/politsystem.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101112308/http://www.swissworld.org/dvd_rom/eng/direct_democracy_2004/content/politsystem/politsystem.html|url-status=dead|title=Discover Switzerland|archive-date=1 January 2007|website=www.eda.admin.ch}}</ref>
*1992
**Austria (from 19; previous reductions were 21 to 20 in 1949 and 20 to 19 in 1970)<ref>{{cite book|first=Reingard|last=Spannring|title=Orientations of Young Men and Women to Citizenship and European Identity: Workpackage 1&nbsp;– Socio-demographic Background: Austria|publisher=Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna|url=http://www.oeij.at/doku/European_Identity.pdf|access-date=9 May 2007}}</ref>
**Estonia: (29 July) (from 22, according to the 1938 Constitution; was 18 during the [[Occupation of the Baltic States|Soviet Occupation]] since 1940 and 16 for the [[Congress of Estonia]] in 1990)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://et.wikisource.org/wiki/Eesti_N%C3%B5ukogude_Sotsialistliku_Vabariigi_konstitutsioon_(1940)|title=Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistliku Vabariigi konstitutsioon (1940) – Vikitekstid|website=et.wikisource.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hot.ee/etsiam/Eesti%20Kongress%2010.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418012519/http://www.hot.ee/etsiam/Eesti%20Kongress%2010.htm|url-status= dead|title=Valmistumine Eesti Kongressi valimisteks|archive-date=18 April 2008}}</ref>
* 1995: Hong Kong (from 21)<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Liu |first1=Eva |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr97-98/english/sec/library/956rp17.pdf |title=Political Development in Hong Kong since the 1980s |last2=Yue |first2=S.Y. |date=September 1996 |publisher=Research and Library Services Division, Legislative Council Secretariat |location=Hong Kong |language=en}}</ref>
*2000: Liechtenstein (from 20; LGBl. 2000 No. 55)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://geocities.com/dagtho/lieconst19211005h.html |title=Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein |access-date=11 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807131456/http://geocities.com/dagtho/lieconst19211005h.html |archive-date=7 August 2009}}, Art. 29 (2)|df=y</ref>
*2001: Jordan (July) (from 19; Provisional Election Law No. 34/2001)<ref>[http://www.ipu.org/news-e/4-9.htm The World of Parliaments, ''Quarterly Review'' No. 4], [[Inter-Parliamentary Union|IPU]], 2001. Retrieved 22 July 2007.</ref>
*2002
**Pakistan (21 August) (Legal Framework Order, 2002),<ref>{{cite book|first=M.|last=Nadeem|author2=Laghari, J.|title=Study of Pakistan Election System as "Intelligent e-Election"|arxiv=cs/0405105|bibcode=2004cs........5105N|year=2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1913092.stm|title=SOUTH ASIA &#124; Vote on Musharraf rule set for May|work=[[BBC News]] |date=5 April 2002}}</ref> was 18 under [[Constitution of Pakistan#The Constitution of 1973|1973 Constitution]], then increased to 21, then lowered back to 18.<ref>[http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Pakistan-GOVERNMENT.html Encyclopedia of the Nations, Pakistan] Retrieved 6 February 2007.</ref>
**Morocco (11 December) (from 20)<ref>{{cite news|title=Morocco lowers voting age|work=[[BBC News]] |date=11 December 2002|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2565373.stm|access-date=5 February 2007}}</ref>
*2012: Uzbekistan (July) (from 25)
*2015: Saudi Arabia (July) (from 21)<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.globalpost.com/article/6532529/2015/04/29/saudi-allows-women-join-2015-municipal-elections| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150714134319/http://www.globalpost.com/article/6532529/2015/04/29/saudi-allows-women-join-2015-municipal-elections| archive-date = 2015-07-14| title = Saudi allows women to join in 2015 municipal elections {{!}} GlobalPost}}</ref>
*2016: Japan (from 20)<ref>{{cite web|title=Minimum voting age in Japan dropped to 18|url=http://www.asianews.network/content/minimum-voting-age-japan-dropped-18-20152|publisher=Asia News Network|date=19 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621040521/http://www.asianews.network/content/minimum-voting-age-japan-dropped-18-20152|archive-date=21 June 2016}}</ref>
*2019 
**Malaysia (16 July) (from 21)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leong |first=Trinna |date=2019-07-16 |title=Malaysia's MPs approve amendment to lower voting age from 21 to 18 |language=en |work=The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysias-federal-constitution-amended-to-lower-voting-age-from-21-to-18 |access-date=2023-06-28 |issn=0585-3923}}</ref>
**South Korea (27 December) (from 19)
*2021:
**Italy (4 November); lowered from 25 for Senate elections (Constitutional Law No. 1 of 2021)