Malcolm Rivera
The right to vote in the United States has been expanded and protected by several constitutional amendments and federal laws. One notable example is the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 for all Americans in 1971. This amendment came about as a result of increasing public opposition to the Vietnam War and the discrepancy between the military draft age of 18 and the voting age of 21. The slogan old enough to fight, old enough to vote encapsulated the argument that if citizens were old enough to serve in the military, they should also have the right to vote. The 26th Amendment faced legal challenges, and it was determined that a constitutional amendment was necessary to lower the voting age at the federal level. This amendment highlights the importance of ensuring that voting rights are protected and that all citizens have a say in the democratic process.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amendments that expanded voting rights | 15th Amendment, 19th Amendment, 24th Amendment, 26th Amendment |
| Amendments that protected voting rights | 14th Amendment, 15th Amendment, 26th Amendment |
| Amendments that eliminated discrimination in voting | 15th Amendment, 24th Amendment, Voting Rights Act of 1965 |
| Amendments that lowered the voting age | 26th Amendment |
| Federal laws that protected voting rights | Civil Rights Acts, Voting Rights Act of 1965 |
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What You'll Learn
Voting rights for African Americans
The Fifteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified on February 3, 1870, granted African American men the right to vote. The official text of the amendment states:
> 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 the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Despite this, many African Americans were still unable to exercise their right to vote due to discriminatory practices and laws such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence or intimidation at the polls. The Supreme Court's interpretation of the Fifteenth Amendment was relatively narrow, and in the case of United States v. Reese in 1876, it was determined that the amendment did not grant the right to vote but rather prohibited its restriction. This led to the rise of "'Jim Crow' laws" in the Southern states, which further restricted the voting rights of African Americans.
It wasn't until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that the path to the voting booth was truly cleared for African Americans. The Act banned racial discrimination in voting and eliminated literacy tests and other discriminatory practices. The Twenty-fourth Amendment, ratified in 1964, also eliminated poll taxes in federal elections. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been credited with increasing voter registration and turnout among minority groups and increasing the number of minority elected officials.
The protection of voting rights has historically been a bipartisan issue, with the swift passage and ratification of amendments like the 26th Amendment lowering the voting age to 18 receiving near-unanimous support. However, continued vigilance is necessary to protect the right to vote, as evidenced by the recent surge in voter suppression efforts across the United States.
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Voting rights for women
Women's suffrage, or the right of women to vote in elections, has been a hard-fought battle across the world. In ancient Athens, often regarded as the birthplace of democracy, only adult male citizens who owned land were allowed to vote. For centuries, women were excluded from voting in Europe, which was ruled by monarchs. However, some women in high positions within the Catholic Church, such as abbesses in Medieval Germany, were able to vote at national assemblies.
In the United States, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified on August 18, 1920, granted women the right to vote. The text of the amendment reads: "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 sex." The road to achieving this milestone was long and arduous, marked by decades of agitation, protest, lecturing, writing, lobbying, and civil disobedience. The campaign for women's suffrage began in the mid-19th century, and unmarried women who owned property in New Jersey were able to vote between 1776 and 1807. In 1869, women in Western territories and states like Wyoming and Utah gained the right to vote, and in the decade preceding the 19th Amendment, 23 states granted women full or partial voting rights. Despite the passage of the 19th Amendment, the fight for voting rights continued for women of colour, particularly in the South, due to racially discriminatory policies and practices.
In other parts of the world, women's suffrage evolved differently. In Sweden, conditional women's suffrage was in effect during the Age of Liberty (1718-1772). Pitcairn Island allowed women to vote in its councils in 1838, and the Isle of Man granted property-owning women the right to vote in 1881. The self-governing British colony of New Zealand allowed women to vote in 1893, and its colonies South Australia and Australia followed suit in 1895 and 1902, respectively. Finland, then a part of the Russian Empire, granted equal suffrage in 1906, and Canada and Germany extended voting rights to women in 1917 and 1918, respectively. The United Kingdom granted voting rights to women over 30 who met certain property requirements in 1918, and France did not allow women to vote until 1944. Greece granted equal voting rights to women in 1952, and Switzerland followed suit at the federal level in 1971.
The expansion of voting rights for women has been a result of the tireless efforts of activists and advocates across generations. The United Nations played a pivotal role in encouraging women's suffrage after World War II, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979) recognises it as a basic right.
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Voting rights for youth
The journey towards achieving voting rights for youth began as early as the 1940s, with the first calls to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. This debate gained momentum during World War II when the minimum age for the military draft was lowered to 18, creating a discrepancy where young men were fighting for their country without the right to vote. The activism of youth and their allies played a crucial role in advocating for this change.
In the 1960s and early 1970s, opposition to the Vietnam War further intensified debates over voting age. The "old enough to fight, old enough to vote" argument resonated strongly during this period, highlighting the inconsistency of conscripted citizens being forced to fight in a conflict they had no political authority to influence through voting. The increasing political and social activism among young Americans contributed to a growing national awareness of the process of crafting laws and constitutional amendments.
In 1970, President Richard Nixon responded to the growing calls for change by adding a provision to lower the voting age in the extensions of the Voting Rights Act. However, this decision was challenged in the Supreme Court case of Oregon v. Mitchell, where it was ruled that Congress could only set the minimum voting age for federal elections, not state or local elections. This led to the proposal and passage of the 26th Amendment by both chambers of Congress in March 1971.
The 26th Amendment was swiftly ratified on July 1, 1971, extending voting rights to all Americans aged 18 and older. This amendment was a significant milestone, ensuring that young people across the nation had the power to participate in electoral politics and make their voices heard. The impact of this amendment can be seen in the high levels of youth political participation today, with youth-led activism focusing on issues such as racism, police brutality, climate change, and gun violence.
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Voting rights in federal elections
The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes, which had been used to disenfranchise African Americans. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminated all forms of discrimination in federal, state, and local elections. The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age in federal elections to 18, giving young people a voice in politics. This amendment was driven by youth activism and the slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote", referencing the draft age of 18 during World War II and the Vietnam War.
Despite these advancements, there have been ongoing debates and legal challenges regarding voting rights. For example, the Supreme Court case Oregon v. Mitchell determined that Congress could set the voting age for federal elections but not for state or local elections. Additionally, the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act aim to implement comprehensive reforms, such as establishing national standards for registering and voting and reducing the influence of money and special interests in politics. These efforts underscore the ongoing work needed to protect and expand voting rights in federal elections.
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Voting rights in state elections
Voting rights in the United States have been expanded and protected by numerous constitutional amendments and federal laws. The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified on February 3, 1870, was a significant step towards racial equality by prohibiting the denial or abridgement of a citizen's right to vote based on race, colour, or previous condition of servitude. Despite this, discriminatory practices and laws prevented many African Americans from exercising their right to vote, and it wasn't until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that all forms of discrimination in federal, state, and local elections were eliminated.
The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, was a milestone for gender equality, granting women the right to vote. This addressed the exclusion of women from suffrage movements, which had previously focused on race without addressing sex discrimination in voter laws.
The Twenty-fourth Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes that had been used to restrict voting rights, particularly for African Americans. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 for all Americans, ensuring that those old enough to fight for their country were also old enough to have a political voice.
While the US Constitution and its amendments have played a crucial role in establishing and protecting voting rights, federal laws and Supreme Court decisions have also contributed significantly to safeguarding these rights. The Civil Rights Acts, for example, provided early federal protections against discrimination in voting. Supreme Court decisions in the first half of the 20th century gradually eroded discriminatory laws and voting restrictions, such as the Guinn v. United States case in 1915, which deemed grandfather clauses unconstitutional.
The protection and expansion of voting rights have often been driven by social movements and activism. Youth activism, for instance, played a pivotal role in the passage of the Twenty-sixth Amendment, with young people advocating for their right to participate in decisions affecting their lives, such as the Vietnam War. Similarly, the recent youth vote has been influenced by youth-led activism around issues like racism, police brutality, climate change, and gun violence.
In conclusion, the expansion of voting rights in state elections has been a gradual process in the United States, shaped by constitutional amendments, federal laws, court decisions, and social movements. The ongoing pursuit of inclusive and fair voting rights remains a cornerstone of American democracy.
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Frequently asked questions
The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified on July 1, 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 for all Americans.
The 26th Amendment was passed following increasing public opposition to the Vietnam War, which renewed debates over voting rights. Many argued that citizens old enough to fight for their country should be able to vote.
After being signed into law by President Richard Nixon, the states of Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, and Texas sued the federal government. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Congress could only set the minimum voting age for federal elections, not state or local elections.
Yes, following the ruling, the 26th Amendment was the only way to lower the voting age to 18 at the federal level. Without it, each state would have to decide individually to lower the voting age for their elections.
