1. Mr. Rosenstock San Fernando High School
Voting
Mr. Rosenstock
San Fernando High School

2. Voting Suffrage/Enfranchise: Interchangeable terms = the right to vote
Electorate: All eligible voters
Historical Trends Since 1789: 1.) Gradual elimination of restrictions to voting (up to recent times) 2.) Federal government has asserted more power over voting rights from the states
Recent Trends Since 2012: 1.)Some 17 states have voting restrictions 2.) States challenging Federal government over voting laws

3. Extending Suffrage
By 1810: Religious qualifications were removed by all states. (benefited Whites only)
By 1850s: Property ownership and Tax payment were repealed (benefited Whites only)
15th Amendment (1870):
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
African Americans still largely disenfranchised into the mid 1960s.

4. 17th Amendment: Senate elected by people
19th Amendment (1920): prohibits denial of the vote based on sex. Gave women the right to vote
Indian Citizenship Act (1924). Gave Native Americans rights of citizenship and voting rights
24th Amendment (1964): Eliminated the poll tax -special tax demanded by some states as a voting requirement.

5. Voting Rights Act of 1965:
a. Eliminated literacy tests (a reading comprehension test)
b. Reinforced the 15th Amendment. (Allowed the US Attorney General to sue states that violated the act)
c. States with history of poor voter participation and abuse had preclearance requirements before making changes that affected voting (required these states to get approval from the Federal government first)
d. Required states with significant minority populations to provide bilingual ballots and election material

6. 26th Amendment (1971): Sets voting age at 18 yrs.
Federal “Motor Voter Law” (1993): State Motor Vehicle Departments must allow people to register to vote when getting a license or registering a vehicle.
Federal Voting Standards and Procedures Act (2003): States must streamline registration, voting and election procedures

7. Power to Set Voting Qualifications
States have the power to set voting qualifications. However, the Constitution places five restrictions:
1.) Any person who can vote within the state must be allowed to vote for US Senate and Congress
2.) No one can be deprived of suffrage based on race, color or previous servitude
3.) No one can be deprived of suffrage based on sex
4.) No state may require a tax as a condition to vote
5.) No state may deprive suffrage to anyone at least 18 yrs of age

8. Universal Requirements
1.) Citizenship: All states require a person to be a citizen to vote. However, the Constitution does not require citizenship
2.) Residence: All states require a person to be a resident of the state in which they are voting.
For Federal Elections, Congress banned any requirement greater than 30 days.
Homeless are allowed to fulfill residency through alternative address locations (park bench, etc). But many cannot vote because of need to show driving license or Social Security card in many states

9. 3.) Age: the 26th Amendment sets the maximum voting age at 18yrs…but does not set a minimum age.
Several states allow for people to vote in the Primary Elections if they are 17 and will be 18 by the General Election (Presidential). (ex) Nebraska
Voter turnout amongst yr olds is the lowest of all voter groups by age.

10. Persons Denied the Vote
Every state denies the vote to certain people:
1.) Persons in mental institutions or declared mentally incompetent.
2.) 1/4th of states prohibit people incarcerated from gaining or regaining the right to vote
3.) A handful of states prohibit the vote to those dishonorably discharged from the military (counted as a felony…so same as above #2)