The Right To Vote Chapter 6 Section1

The Constitution and the Right to Vote

The History of Voting Rights  In the early 1800s religious, property- ownership, and tax-payment qualifications were removed, and almost all white males could vote.  After the Civil War, the 15th Amendment removed racial barriers, though African Americans remained largely disfranchised.  In 1920 the 19th Amendment granted women suffrage.

 In the 1960s Congress banned poll taxes, passed the Voting Rights Act, and granted the vote to residents of Washington, D.C., all of which expanded voting rights for African Americans.  In 1971 the 26th Amendment granted suffrage to 18-year-olds

Test Question  Which of the following is NOT a long-term trend marking the expansion of suffrage in the United States? a. removing restrictive requirements based on religious belief b. transferring more authority over suffrage to the Federal Government c. eliminating requirements based on sex and race d. adding requirements based on tax payment

The Power to Set Voting Qualifications  The Constitution reserves to the States the right to set suffrage requirements, but restricts the States’ use of that power.  The restrictions prohibit the States form withholding suffrage from groups protected by the Constitution – African Americans, women, and persons 18 years old and above.

 They also forbid the use of poll taxes and require the States to allow all persons qualified to vote for the lower house of the State legislature to vote for members of Congress.

Test Question Today many States require that voters a. be citizens of the United States and residents of the State. b. have lived in the State for a minimum of two years before an election. c. be familiar with the candidates and issues before voting. d. be native-born citizens of the United States.

Test Question  In the past, States limited voting rights by a. requiring voters to live in certain districts. b. charging a poll tax. c. eliminating the literacy test. d. overruling grandfather clauses.

Voter Qualifications Chapter 6 Section 2

Voter Qualifications Among the States  Citizenship and Residence  Citizenship  Aliens are generally not allowed to vote, although it is not prohibited by the Constitution.  Only one State constitution, that of Minnesota, draws a distinction between native-born and naturalized citizens.

Residence  All States have residence requirements in order to prevent election fraud and ensure that citizens have had time to familiarize themselves with relevant political issues before voting.  In 1972 the Supreme Court ruled that no State can require a waiting period of longer than 30 days.  Almost all States deny the vote to transients

Age  The 26th Amendment sets 18 as the cap on the minimum age for voting in any election.  A growing number of States allow many 17-year-olds to cast ballots in primary elections if they will turn 18 before the general election.

Other Qualifications  Registration  States require voters to prove their identity when they register to vote in order to avoid election fraud.  There is a growing trend toward easing voter registration laws, which discriminate against the poor and less-educated.

Literacy  Literacy tests were used to ensure that voters had the capacity to cast an informed ballot, but they were also used to discriminate against African Americans.  As a result, Congress banned the use of literacy tests in 1970.

Test Question  Literacy tests worked to deny the vote to African Americans primarily because a. all white voters had higher literacy rates. b. the test often included both reading and writing. c. no controls guaranteed voters’ tests were of equal difficulty. d. taking the test made potential voters nervous.

Tax Payment  Poll taxes were once common in the South.  Congress and the Supreme Court banned all taxes as a condition for voting during the 1960s.

Who May Not Vote  In a democracy, suffrage must be widely distributed.  Every State denies suffrage to those who are mentally incompetent, and most also disenfranchise those convicted of serious crimes.

Test Question  All of the following have been used to keep African Americans from voting EXCEPT a. poll taxes. b. literacy tests. c. federal court orders. d. threats and social pressures.