History of Voting Rights in US

History of Voting Rights

1920: 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. Women win the right to vote nationwide. 

1965: The Voting Rights Act passed to address policies and practices that state had been using to suppress voting among people of color, immigrants and low-income populations. The law required stated and local jursitictions to submit changes in their election laws to the US Justice Department for approval or preclearance. 

1966: 24th Amendment approved by Congress and ruled by the Supreme Court. The law ruled Poll Taxes as unconsitutional. Forcing people to pay to vote was a particulary egregious form of voter suppression. 

1971: Young People can vote. The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18. 

1975: Voting Rights Act amended to require juristictions to provide voting materials in other languages and to provide multilingual assistance at the polls. 

1982: Voting Rights Act amended to make voting more accessible for the elderly and disabled. 

1993: National Voter Registrations Act. Also known as "motor voter",the law required states to allow citizens to register to vote when they applied for their drivers' licenses. The law also required states to offer mail-in registration. 

2013: US Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act. States and locallitles no longer required to preclear changes in election laws to the US Just Department. Concerns open up race-based voter suppression. 

Equal voting rights has been a struggle throught US History. Even more so now, as the polical environment contiues to be contentious. As long as we have the right, be sure to cast your votes. 

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