HISTORY OF VOTING RIGHTS

Expansion of the Electorate

•1789•WHITE DUDES ONLY

FIVE STAGES OF SUFFRAGE

1800’s

• Eliminated Religious Restrictions

• Tax Payment Restrictions

STAGE 2:

15th Amendment and the Civil War

1) Eliminated Restrictions of Race or Color

Stage 3:

• 1920, 19th Amendment

• Woman’s Suffrage

Stage 4:

• 1960’s Civil Rights Era

• Enforced Voter’s Rights Act of 1965

• Banning poll taxes

• Banning poll tests

Stage 5:

• Setting 18 year old voting age (1970)

POWER TO SET VOTING QUALIFICATIONS

• FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT INTERFERE WITH VOTING

• IT’S A STATE POWER

• Must be able to vote in all elections

• Cannot discriminate on race, color, sex

• No poll tax

• 18 years

Universal Requirements

• Citizenship

• Age

• Registration- checks eligibility (poll books)

• Legal Resident of the State– Prevent Corruption– Familiarity with events, candidates, issues