U.S.A. (written in 1977)
2.20
In the United States of America the fixing of the age of majority is a matter
for the State legislatures subject to whatever restrictions may be imposed by
the Constitutions of the individual States. Unless a State has exercised its
power to fix an age of majority the age of majority is the common law age of 21
years.
2.21
Prior to 1970 the age of majority was 21 years in most of the States. The
exceptions were Kentucky where the age was 18, Alaska where it was 19 and Hawaii
where it was 20. In Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, and Utah the age of majority was 21 years for males and 18 for
females.
2.22
In 1971 the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of
America became law. This Amendment provides that the right of a citizen of the
United States who is eighteen years of age or older to vote shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States, or by any State, on account of age. After this
Amendment of the Constitution a number of States altered the age of majority.
2.23
At present 31 States - Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho,
Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New
Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming - have fixed the age of
majority at 18. In Iowa, Montana and Nebraska the age was fixed at 19, whereas
in Hawaii it is 20, as mentioned in para. 2.21 supra