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Abolishment of Property Restrictions
When the Constitution was written, only white men that owned property were given the right to vote, but by 1850, property ownership requirements were elminated and almost all white males were able to vote. This elimination of property restrictions allows more people to vote, but really only white men. Despite the greater number of possible voters, this did not dramatically change voter turnout. -
15th Amendment
This amendment was passed after the Cilvil War, guaranteeing black men the right to vote. Allowing blacks the right to vote increased their civil rights and also, broadened the amount of voters in the nation. This amendment was highly supported by the Republican party because the freed slaves were most likely to vote Republican. Also, this amendment allowed black men the right to vote before white women, increasing its significance. -
19th Amendment
This amendment granted women of all states the right to vote. This amendment is significant because despite the fact that the size of the eligible voting population nearly doubled, there were no dramatic changes in the conduct of elections, the identity of the winners, or the substance of public policy. -
23rd Amendment
This amendment gave the citizens of the District of Columbia the right to vote in presidential elections. This is significant because DC is given the ability to choose electors for President and Vice President, but they are not represented in Congress. These are additional people given the right to vote, but in recent elections they have chosen not to due to their lack of representation. -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment banned poll taxes in elections for federal officials. By banning poll taxes, voting beomes much more accessible to registered voters, and also increases the rights of blacks, women, and poor voters. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act suspended the use of literacy tests and authorized the appointment of federal examiners who could order the registration of blacks in states and counties. It also provided criminal penalties for interfering with the right to vote. This act is significant because it made it possible for more people to vote, and as a result of the federal examiners, there were more registered voters. -
26th Amendment
This amendment allows citizens to vote in all elections at the age of eighteen. The 1972 elections were the first elections where people between 18-21 could vote, but their voter turnout was so low and the age group did not favor one party over the other, so no significant changes were seen.
