The Right to Vote

History of Voting Rights Constitution left the question of “who can vote” to the states. Suffrage(franchise): two terms that mean the right to vote Expansion of the electorate or the potential voting population has increased over time. Two long-term trends: Removal of restrictions Federal government assumed more control over voter qualifications

Extending Suffrage: The Five Stages I. Early 1800’s removal of religious qualifications instituted during the Colonial period elimination of tax payments and property ownership II. After the Civil War ratification of the 15th Amendment in 1870 protected any citizen from being denied the right to vote due to race or color III. Early 20th Century ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 prohibited the denial of the right to vote due to sex

1960’s Civil Rights Act, 1964: forbid the use of literacy tests or voter registration that was discriminatory in any way Voting Rights Act, 1965: enforced the 15th Amendment in all elections held anywhere in the U.S. 23rd Amendment, 1961: gave the District of Columbia the right to vote 24th Amendment, 1964: eliminated the poll tax or any other tax as a condition to vote Latest Expansion 26th Amendment, 1971: set the voting age at 18 “old enough to fight, old enough to vote”

Voter Qualifications Every state has three factors: 1. Citizenship - foreign born residents are denied the right to vote 2. Residence - allow new residents time to become familiar w/candidates 3. Age(18) - young voters(18-20) are much less likely to vote than any other

Other Voter Qualifications Registration: voter identification intended to prevent voter fraud - provides election officials with a list of qualified voters - party preference and closed primaries - registered until you move, die, convicted of a serious crime(imprisoned) or committed to a mental institution - U.S. is the only democratic country w/a registration requirement

Literacy: person’s ability to read and write - insure a qualified voter had the capacity to cast an informed ballot - Conn. & Mass. were the first to adopt literacy requirements aimed at Irish Catholic immigrants - Southern states’ adopted the requirement in an effort to disenfranchise African-Americans - “grandfather clause” allowed white descendants to vote Tax Payment - property(taxes) ownership - poll tax: tax payment as a condition for voting

Please answer in complete sentences: Answer 1,2, 4 and 6 on page 150, the Section Assessment Answer 1, 4, 5 and 6 on page 157, the Section Assessment

Suffrage and Civil Rights Failure by the Federal government to enforce the 15th Amendment led to a 90 year struggle for voting rights for African-Americans States used legal devices to keep African-Americans from voting. - poll tax - literacy tests - white primaries (Democrat controlled) Political parties were defined as “private associations” and could exclude whomever they chose. Democrats nominated only white candidates in their primaries.

Gerrymandering Defined as the “practice of drawing electoral district lines in order to limit the voting strength of a particular group.” Gomillion v. Lightfoot, 1960 Ala. Legislature had redrawn the electoral boundaries in Tuskegee in an effort to exclude all African-Americans Square to a 28 sided figure Supreme Court ruled that this violated the 15th Amendment because the irregular shaped district clearly was created to disenfranchise African-Americans

Voting Rights Act, 1965 Enforced the 15th Amendment in all elections held anywhere in the U.S. Act also declared that no new election laws could go into effect unless first approved (given preclearance) by the Dept. of Justice Only laws that do not “dilute” or weaken the voting rights of minority groups can survive the preclearance process.

Right To Vote Review 1. Constitution left the question of “who can vote” to the ____________________. Answer: states 2. Two terms that mean the right to vote…… Answer: suffrage and franchise 3. Protected any citizen from being denied the right to vote due to race or color. Answer: 15th Amendment 4. Prohibited the denial of the right to vote due to sex. Answer: 19th Amendment 5. Forbid the use of literacy tests or voter registration that was discriminatory in any way Answer: Civil Rights Act, 1964

6. Enforced the 15th Amendment in all elections held anywhere in the U 6. Enforced the 15th Amendment in all elections held anywhere in the U.S. Answer: Voting Rights Act, 1965 7. Eliminated the poll tax or any other tax as a condition to vote. Answer: 24th Amendment 8. What did the 26th Amendment do? Answer: set the voting age at 18 9. List the three voter qualifications for every state. Answer: citizen, residence, age (18) 10. What legal devices were used by states to keep African-Americans from voting. Answer: literacy tests, poll tax, white primary, gerrymandering 11. Define the term “gerrymandering”. Answer: practice of drawing electoral district lines in order to limit the voting strength of a particular group