Simone Lawson
The 24th and 26th Amendments to the US Constitution were significant milestones in expanding voting rights. The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, abolished poll taxes, which had been used to disenfranchise African Americans by preventing them from voting in federal elections. The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 for all elections, granting voting rights to 18-year-olds and ensuring that those old enough to fight in wars could also participate in choosing their leaders. These amendments, along with others like the 15th Amendment granting African American men the right to vote and the 19th Amendment granting women's suffrage, have shaped the democratic landscape of the United States by removing barriers to political participation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| 24th Amendment | Banned poll taxes, which had been used to keep African Americans from voting in federal elections |
| 26th Amendment | Lowered the voting age for all elections to 18 |
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What You'll Learn
- The 24th Amendment banned poll taxes
- The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18
- The 23rd Amendment gave Washington D.C. residents the right to vote in Presidential elections
- The 14th Amendment granted voting rights to all US-born and naturalized males
- The 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote
The 24th Amendment banned poll taxes
The 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1964, banned poll taxes, prohibiting both Congress and the states from requiring the payment of a poll tax or any other tax to vote in federal elections. The official text of the amendment states:
> The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Poll taxes were adopted as a requirement for voting in the late 19th century by Southern states, intending to exclude Black Americans from politics without violating the Fifteenth Amendment, which stated that voting should not be limited by "race, colour, or previous condition of servitude". Although the Fifteenth Amendment granted the right to vote to all American men, African Americans in the South faced several laws that restricted voting, including poll taxes, which required voters to pay a fee to enter polling places to cast their ballots.
The poll tax disproportionately affected African Americans due to the higher levels of poverty among them in the Southern states, effectively excluding them from voting. In addition, poor whites were also impacted by the poll tax requirement. The passage of poll taxes began in earnest in the 1890s as Democrats sought to prevent another Populist-Republican coalition, with the support of poor whites, from forming. Despite election violence and fraud, African Americans were still winning numerous local seats.
The 24th Amendment was proposed by Congress to the states on 27 August 1962, and was ratified by the states on 23 January 1964, with 38 states approving the amendment. The amendment was relatively quick to ratify, taking just over a year. This amendment was an important step in the pursuit of civil rights in the turbulent 1960s, coinciding with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed all forms of discrimination across the United States, marking the end of the Segregation era.
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The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18
The 26th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 for all US citizens. This was a significant change, as previously, the voting age had been set at 21. The official text of the amendment states:
> "The right of citizens of the United States, who are 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. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
The push to lower the voting age gained momentum during the Vietnam War, when young men as young as 18 were being drafted to serve in the military. The slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote" captured the sentiment of many who argued that if someone was old enough to serve their country in the military, they should also have the right to vote.
The 26th Amendment was the fastest amendment to be ratified at the time. It was passed by both chambers of Congress in March 1971 and ratified on July 1, 1971. The amendment faced legal challenges, with questions arising regarding its applicability to other political institutions and voter identification laws. However, it stands as a significant milestone in expanding voting rights to younger Americans.
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The 23rd Amendment gave Washington D.C. residents the right to vote in Presidential elections
The 23rd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1961, gave Washington D.C. residents the right to vote in Presidential elections. This was significant because, before 1960, the Constitution did not give the residents of the District of Columbia the right to vote for any federal official, despite the district's population being larger than that of thirteen states.
The 23rd Amendment states that the District of Columbia receives three electoral votes for President, regardless of population. This is no more than the smallest state. While this amendment gave D.C. residents the right to vote in national presidential elections, it did not grant them voting rights in Congress or the right to participate in the process that allows the Constitution to be amended. D.C. residents still do not have the right to vote for a Senator or a Congressperson.
The 23rd Amendment was passed after a year of deliberation in Congress, combining two separate proposals from the House of Representatives and the Senate. The amendment was endorsed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and both major party candidates in the 1960 presidential election. It was also supported by liberal Democrats and Republicans in the district, reflecting the increasing influence of public advocacy amid the backdrop of 20th-century America.
The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes, which had been used in some states to prevent African Americans from voting in federal elections. The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age for all elections to 18. This occurred during the Vietnam War, when young men were being drafted to serve in the military, and it was argued that if 18-year-olds could fight in wars, they should have the right to vote for those sending them to do so.
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The 14th Amendment granted voting rights to all US-born and naturalized males
The 14th Amendment, passed by Congress on June 13, 1866, and ratified on July 9, 1868, granted voting rights to all US-born and naturalized males aged 21 and above. This amendment extended liberties and rights granted by the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people, granting citizenship to "All persons born or naturalized in the United States".
The 14th Amendment states that "Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed". It further asserts that when the right to vote in elections for choosing representatives, executive and judicial officers, or members of the state legislature is denied to male inhabitants of a state who are citizens of the United States, 21 years or older, the basis of representation shall be reduced proportionally.
This amendment played a significant role in the Reconstruction era, aiming to guarantee equal civil and legal rights to Black citizens. It was a result of the determined struggle of Black and White citizens to ensure that all persons, regardless of race, enjoyed the rights and protections afforded by the Constitution.
While the 14th Amendment extended voting rights to all male citizens, it did not explicitly grant the vote to African-American men. This was addressed by the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, which guaranteed that the right to vote could not be denied based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude".
The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, further expanded voting rights by lowering the voting age to 18 for all elections. This amendment was significant as it allowed young people, who were being drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, to have a say in choosing their leaders.
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The 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote
The 15th Amendment, ratified on February 3, 1870, gave African American men the right to vote. The official text of the amendment is as follows: "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."
Before the 15th Amendment, the right to vote was often restricted to white male property owners. While some states and cities allowed free African Americans to vote, they were few in number and scattered across the Northern states. The 13th and 14th Amendments, which abolished slavery and granted citizenship to African Americans, respectively, set the stage for the 15th Amendment by expanding civil rights for the newly freed African American population.
Despite the 15th Amendment, many African American men were still unable to exercise their right to vote due to discriminatory practices and laws such as literacy tests, "grandfather clauses," and poll taxes. In the early 1890s, steps were taken to ensure "white supremacy," and social and economic segregation were added to Black America's loss of political power. This led to the rise of "Jim Crow" laws in the Southern states, which undermined the constitutional liberties of African Americans, including their right to vote.
The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes, which had been used to disenfranchise African Americans. The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age for all elections to 18, giving young people the right to vote if they were old enough to fight in wars.
While the 15th Amendment was a significant step towards equality for African Americans, it was only one step in a long struggle. It would take more than a century before African Americans could begin to fully participate in American public and civic life.
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Frequently asked questions
The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes. These taxes had been used in some states to prevent African Americans from voting in federal elections.
The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 for all elections.
The 23rd Amendment, passed in 1962, granted residents of Washington, D.C. the right to vote for the President.
The 26th Amendment modified a portion of the 14th Amendment, which originally granted the right to vote to male citizens over the age of 21. The 26th Amendment extended this right to all citizens aged 18 and above.
