Voters and Voter Behavior

Suffrage & Civil Rights

15 th Amendment Ratified in 1870 Right to vote can’t be denied to any U.S. citizen b/c of one’s race, color or previous condition of servitude Given the circumstances of U.S. in 1870, was this a law that could be easily enforceable?

15 th Amendment African-Americans generally were kept away from the polls in the South b/w Groups that disagreed w/the 15 th Amendment used: – Violence – Subtle threats – Literacy tests – Poll taxes

15 th Amendment One tactic was gerrymandering – practice of drawing electoral district lines to limit voting strengths of a particular group/PP te=AL te=AL map- 2010/#race=racesInPlay&pres=false&tab=senate&state =us-senate map- 2010/#race=racesInPlay&pres=false&tab=senate&state =us-senate

15 th Amendment Results of gerrymandering in the South – Democrats dominated nearly every political office at every level, and most candidates were white PP were considered to be “private associations”, which by law meant they could exclude anyone for no reason – Party primaries were only voted on by party members

15 th Amendment 1944 – Smith v. Allwright (Texas) – Outlawed exclusion of voters in primary voting – All political parties are public functions, thus cannot exclude particular people

15 th Amendment 1960 – Gomillion v. Lightfoot (Alabama) – AL legislature redrawn electoral district in Tuskegee, eliminating all blacks from the city limits – S.C. ruled that gerrymandering for racial purposes violated 15 th Amendment

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Outlawed discrimination in job-related situations Forbid any extra voter requirement used in an unfair/discriminatory manner Allowed injunctions to enforce law – Court order that forces/limits performance of some act by a private individual/public official – Punishable by fine or imprisonment

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Outlawed discrimination in job-related situations Forbid any extra voter requirement used in an unfair/discriminatory manner Allowed injunctions to enforce law – Court order that forces/limits performance of some act by a private individual/public official – Punishable by fine or imprisonment

Civil Rights Act of 1964 SNCC started a voter registration drive for African- Americans in Selma, AL March 7, 1965 – 600 people began march from Selma to Montgomery Law enforcement met group at Edmund Pettus Bridge – attacking group with billy clubs, tear gas, rubber tubes wrapped in wires

Civil Rights Act of 1964 SNCC started a voter registration drive for African- Americans in Selma, AL March 7, 1965 – 600 people began march from Selma to Montgomery Law enforcement met group at Edmund Pettus Bridge – attacking group with billy clubs, tear gas, rubber tubes wrapped in wires

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Applied to all elections held anywhere in the country Originally only supposed to law for 5 years – Congress extended it 4 times – Most recent extension granted 25 years Suspended literacy tests in any state/county where less than 1/2 electorate voted in 1964 elections

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Authorized attorney general appoint voting examiners to serve in any state/county Any new election law, or change in pre-existing election laws, can go into effect w/o preclearance from the Dept. of Justice – Approval by DOJ

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Preclearance will not be given if 1 of the following is violated: – Location of polling places – Boundaries of electoral districts – Deadlines in election process – From ward to at-large elections – Qualifications of candidates must meet to run for office