Citizens must be at least 18 years old to vote for president in the United States. This minimum voting age was established by the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1971, which prohibits denying or abridging the right to vote on account of age for citizens 18 or older
. Some states allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they will turn 18 by the time of the general election, and a few states permit preregistration for 16- and 17-year-olds so they can be ready to vote once eligible
. However, the constitutional minimum age to vote in a presidential election is 18 years old
