Voting and Suffrage
Big Idea
The United States has expanded its electorate
through the elimination of restrictions on voting
qualifications
15th
19th
Amendment
Amendment
24th
26th
Amendment
Amendment
So What does Suffrage Mean
• The Right To Vote
• Framers left the decision of who has the right to
vote in the hands of the states
• in the constitution suffrage was given to white, property
(stuff) holding men
• this counted for less than 1 in 15
Suffrage Today
• ●
Almost
all citizens
and older
have all
the right
to vote
That’s
right I18said
“Almost
citizens”
• Electorate
○• Often
people
convicted of a crime
potential voting
population
• At thislose
point their
the federal
rightgovernment
to vote has placed more
restrictions
who the considered
states can allowmentally
to vote
○ Alsoonpeople
ill
don’t have the vote
● What do you think?
Convicted of a Crime
• States vary widely on when they restore voting rights after
a conviction
• Maine and Vermont do not disenfranchise people with
convictions: even prisoners may vote
• People with felony convictions in Florida, Iowa, Kentucky
and Virginia are disenfranchised for life, unless they are
granted clemency
• The rest of teh country falls somewhere in between
Voting Legislation
• There have been a number of laws and
amendments to expand suffrage over the years
• You need to be able to tell me about these on a
Quiz
15th Amendment
● Person cannot be denied the
vote due to race or color
24th Amendment
● Elimited Poll Tax
● Made it so someone’s ability
to vote didn’t depend on
their ability to pay
19th Amendment
● A person cannot be denied
the vote due to gender
26th Amendment
● Sets the minimum age limit
to vote as 18
Constitutionality
• As previously stated
• the true power to set suffrage qualifications is
reserved to the states
• however the amendments put constitutional
restrictions on these laws
Current Events
Recently there have been a number of states who have tried to restrict voting
rights in order to make sure voter fraud is not occurring
According to ACLU (American Civil Liberty Union)
Over 30 states considered laws that would require voters to present
government-issued photo ID in order to vote
3 additional states passed laws to require documntary proof of citizenship in
order to register to vote
2 state legislatures voted to repeal Election Day registartion laws
2 states passed legislation making it much more difficult for 3-party
organizations to register voters