Omar Bennett
The Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution, proposed by the 86th Congress on June 16, 1960, and ratified on March 29, 1961, extends the right to participate in presidential elections to the District of Columbia. The amendment grants the district electors in the Electoral College, allowing American citizens residing in the District of Columbia to vote for presidential electors, who in turn vote in the Electoral College for President and Vice President.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amendment proposed by | 86th Congress |
| Date proposed | June 16, 1960 |
| Date ratified | March 29, 1961 |
| Number of states needed for ratification | 38 |
| Number of states that rejected the amendment | 1 (Arkansas) |
| Number of states that took no action on the amendment | 9 |
| Date certified as part of the Constitution | April 3, 1961 |
| Date Congress enacted legislation to amend the DC Code | October 1961 |
| Year Congress established a nonvoting elected delegate to the House of Representatives | 1970 |
| Year Congress approved an amendment that would have repealed the 23rd Amendment | 1978 |
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What You'll Learn
The 23rd Amendment was ratified on March 29, 1961
The 23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on March 29, 1961, when Ohio became the 38th state to approve it. This fulfilled the constitutional requirement that amendments must be ratified by three-quarters of the states.
The 23rd Amendment was first proposed by the 86th Congress on June 16, 1960. It was designed to extend the right to participate in presidential elections to the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.), granting the district electors in the Electoral College as if it were a state. This was significant because, despite being the seat of government of the United States, Washington, D.C., is not a state and therefore did not have voting rights in presidential elections before the 23rd Amendment.
The issue of voting rights for Washington, D.C., had been a topic of discussion since as early as 1888, when Senator Henry Blair of New Hampshire introduced a bill to amend the Constitution and grant the district voting rights. However, this bill did not proceed. Over time, the issue of district voting rights became associated with the civil rights movement.
The 23rd Amendment does not make Washington, D.C., a state. Instead, it grants its citizens the number of electors it would have if it were a state, but no more than the smallest state. This means that residents of Washington, D.C., can vote for presidential electors, who in turn vote in the Electoral College for President and Vice President. However, residents of the district continue to be unrepresented in Congress, although a non-voting delegate to the House of Representatives was established in 1970.
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It grants Washington, D.C. residents voting rights in presidential elections
The 23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution, which grants Washington, D.C. residents voting rights in presidential elections, was first proposed on June 16, 1960, and ratified in 1961. On March 29, 1961, Ohio became the 38th state to approve it.
The Amendment was necessary because, despite being the seat of government of the United States, the District of Columbia is not a state and was therefore not entitled to any electors before the Amendment was passed. The 23rd Amendment grants the district electors in the Electoral College, as though it were a state, though the district can never have more electors than the least populous state.
The fight for D.C. voting rights dates back to as early as 1888, when some journalists and members of Congress supported a constitutional amendment to grant the district electoral votes. In that year, Senator Henry Blair of New Hampshire introduced a bill to amend the Constitution and grant the District of Columbia voting rights in presidential elections, but it did not proceed.
In 1960, the House Judiciary Committee sent a proposal devoted solely to presidential electors for the District of Columbia to the House floor for consideration. This proposal was adopted without amendment by voice vote on June 14, 1960. Two days later, the Senate adopted the proposal by unanimous consent, and the 23rd Amendment was born.
The Amendment does not make Washington, D.C. a state, and it does not provide District residents with representation in Congress. However, it does grant them the right to vote for presidential electors, who in turn vote in the Electoral College for President and Vice President.
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It does not grant D.C. statehood
The 23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on March 29, 1961. This amendment deals specifically with the District of Columbia and the process by which it can allocate electoral votes in presidential elections. Prior to the 23rd Amendment, residents of Washington, D.C., did not have any representation in the Electoral College, despite being taxpayers and citizens of the United States.
Now, onto the topic at hand:
The 23rd Amendment does not grant statehood to the District of Columbia. It is important to clarify that while the amendment addresses the electoral process in D.C. and ensures its residents have a say in electing the president and vice president, it does not elevate the district to the status of a state. The amendment specifically focuses on the allocation of electoral votes and does not confer all the rights and privileges that statehood would entail.
The amendment states, "The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State." This provision ensures that D.C. is treated similarly to a state in terms of allocating electors for the Electoral College, but it does not grant statehood.
While the 23rd Amendment was a significant step forward in recognizing the political rights of D.C. residents, the district still lacks full representation in Congress and does not have the same level of autonomy and powers as a state. The amendment specifically addresses the electoral process and does not confer the full range of rights and privileges that statehood would entail, such as representation in the Senate and House of Representatives, or the ability to enact laws and regulations without congressional oversight.
The movement for D.C. statehood has been a long-standing issue, and there are ongoing efforts to grant the district full statehood. Proponents of D.C. statehood argue that its residents should have the same rights and privileges as citizens of states, including full representation in Congress and the power to enact local laws without congressional interference. However, the 23rd Amendment, while important, does not address these broader issues of representation and governance.
In summary, while the 23rd Amendment was a crucial step in recognizing the electoral rights of citizens in the District of Columbia, it does not grant D.C. statehood. The amendment specifically addresses the allocation of electoral votes in presidential elections, ensuring that D.C. residents have a say in the process. However, the district still lacks full representation in Congress and the autonomy enjoyed by states. The ongoing push for D.C. statehood highlights the desire for full political rights and representation for the district's residents.
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It was proposed by the 86th Congress on June 16, 1960
The Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution, also known as Amendment XXIII, was proposed by the 86th Congress on June 16, 1960. This amendment extends the right to participate in presidential elections to the District of Columbia, granting it electors in the Electoral College as if it were a state.
The history of the 23rd Amendment can be traced back to 1888, when Senator Henry Blair of New Hampshire introduced a bill in Congress to grant the District of Columbia voting rights in presidential elections. This bill did not proceed, but the idea of amending the Constitution to expand voting rights for the district gained support from journalists and members of Congress. The District of Columbia is not a state, and therefore did not have any electors before the adoption of the Twenty-third Amendment.
The proposal for the amendment was adopted in the House without amendment by voice vote on June 14, 1960, and then unanimously consented to insert the text of HJR-757 into SJR-39, removing the original language of the latter. Just two days later, on June 16, 1960, the Senate adopted the revised resolution by voice vote. This swift action by Congress highlights the importance and urgency attached to ensuring the voting rights of citizens in the District of Columbia.
The Twenty-third Amendment was then ratified by the required number of states on March 29, 1961, with Ohio becoming the thirty-eighth state to approve. This ratification fulfilled the constitutional requirement that amendments must be ratified by three-quarters of the states. The amendment came into force, and on April 3, 1961, John L. Moore, Administrator of General Services, certified that it had been adopted and was officially part of the Constitution.
The amendment ensures that citizens of Washington, D.C., have the right to vote for presidential electors, who then cast their votes in the Electoral College for President and Vice President. It is important to note that while this amendment grants voting rights to District residents, it does not provide them with representation in Congress.
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Nine states took no action on the amendment
The 23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution was proposed by the 86th US Congress on June 16, 1960, and ratified on March 29, 1961. It extended the right to participate in presidential elections to the citizens of Washington, D.C., allowing them to choose electors in these elections. The District of Columbia is a federal district, and its residents are not citizens of a state. Thus, despite paying federal taxes and being subject to military obligations, they were historically denied the right to elect federal public officials.
The 23rd Amendment was not seen as a partisan measure and was endorsed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and both major party candidates in the 1960 presidential election. The first presidential election in which the District of Columbia participated was in 1964. Since then, the district has consistently had three members in the Electoral College, which is the constitutionally implied minimum.
The 23rd Amendment was not universally accepted across the United States. Notably, nine states took no action on the amendment: Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina, and Virginia. Additionally, the amendment was explicitly rejected by Arkansas on January 24, 1961.
The lack of action from these nine states and the rejection by Arkansas highlight some resistance to the implementation of the 23rd Amendment. However, it is important to note that despite this resistance, the amendment ultimately came into effect and granted the citizens of Washington, D.C., the right to participate in presidential elections.
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Frequently asked questions
The 23rd Amendment was added to the US Constitution on March 29, 1961, when it was ratified by the requisite number of states.
The 23rd Amendment grants the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) the right to participate in presidential elections. It gives the district electors in the Electoral College, as though it were a state, though the district can never have more electors than the least-populous state.
The 23rd Amendment was proposed by the 86th Congress on June 16, 1960. It was ratified by 38 states on March 29, 1961, with Ohio being the 38th state to approve it. The Amendment was rejected by Arkansas and nine other states took no action on it.
The 23rd Amendment gave residents of the District of Columbia the right to vote for President and Vice President. However, it did not grant the district statehood or representation in Congress. Residents continue to be unrepresented in the US Congress, though in 1970 a non-voting elected delegate to the House of Representatives was established.
