Oregon v. Mitchell 1970

Could Congress set a voting age of eighteen in state and local elections?

400 U.S. 112 (1970)Voting and electionsSuperseded by the Twenty-sixth Amendment

The question: Could Congress set a voting age of eighteen in state and local elections?
What the Court held: No, though it could for federal elections. The split result led directly to the Twenty-sixth Amendment.
The vote: 5–4
Answered by amendment: The Twenty-sixth Amendment, ratified 1971: The right of citizens eighteen years of age or older to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of age.
Era: Civil rights and Vietnam
Read the opinion: 400 U.S. 112 (1970), full text

This page summarizes the Court’s judgment in neutral terms. The opinion, concurrences and dissents are the authority; read them for the reasoning.