The Story of Voting Rights in America

The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights of citizenship in a democracy. However, the history of voting rights in America is a long and winding road, marked by both progress and setbacks.

Equality's Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America

by Deborah Diesen

4.9 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	17918 KB
Print length	:	48 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

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In the early days of the republic, only white male property owners were allowed to vote. Over time, the franchise was gradually expanded to include other groups, such as women, African Americans, and Native Americans. However, even today, there are still many barriers to voting, particularly for people of color and low-income Americans.

The following is a timeline of some of the key milestones in the history of voting rights in America:

• 1789: The Constitution is ratified, which only allows white male property owners to vote.
• 1870: The 15th Amendment is ratified, which prohibits states from denying the right to vote based on race.
• 1890: The Mississippi Plan is implemented, which effectively disenfranchises African Americans through poll taxes, literacy tests, and other barriers.
• 1920: The 19th Amendment is ratified, which grants women the right to vote.
• 1957: The Voting Rights Act is passed, which outlaws discriminatory practices that prevent African Americans from voting.
• 1965: The 24th Amendment is ratified, which abolishes poll taxes.
• 1971: The Voting Rights Act is extended to cover language minorities.
• 1982: The Voting Rights Act is amended to prohibit voter intimidation and redistricting that dilutes the voting power of minorities.
• 2013: The Supreme Court strikes down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, which had required certain states with a history of discrimination to obtain federal approval before changing their voting laws.
• 2018: Congress passes the Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore the Voting Rights Act to its original strength. However, the bill is vetoed by President Trump.

The story of voting rights in America is a complex and ongoing one. While significant progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all Americans have the right to vote.

The Challenges to Voting Rights Today

Despite the progress that has been made, there are still many challenges to voting rights in America today. These challenges include:

• Voter suppression: Voter suppression is any effort to prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots. This can take many forms, such as restrictive voter ID laws, cuts to early voting, and purging voter rolls.
• Gerrymandering: Gerrymandering is the practice of redrawing electoral districts to give one party an unfair advantage. This can result in situations where one party wins a majority of the votes but does not win a majority of the seats in a legislature.
• Disenfranchisement of people of color: People of color are disproportionately likely to be disenfranchised. This is due to a number of factors, including poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to transportation.
• Disenfranchisement of low-income Americans: Low-income Americans are also disproportionately likely to be disenfranchised. This is due to a number of factors, such as lack of access to transportation, work schedules that conflict with polling hours, and difficulty obtaining the necessary identification to vote.

What Can We Do to Protect Voting Rights?

There are a number of things that we can do to protect voting rights in America. These include:

• Support organizations that are fighting for voting rights: There are a number of organizations that are working to protect voting rights in America. These organizations need our support to continue their important work.
• Get involved in your local community: One of the best ways to protect voting rights is to get involved in your local community. This can involve volunteering for voter registration drives, working to get out the vote, and advocating for policies that protect voting rights.
• Contact your elected officials: Let your elected officials know that you support voting rights. Urge them to support legislation that protects voting rights and to oppose legislation that would restrict voting rights.
• Vote: The most important thing that you can do to protect voting rights is to vote. Make sure that you are registered to vote and that you vote in every election.

The right to vote is one of the most important rights that we have as citizens of a democracy. We must all do our part to protect this right for ourselves and for future generations.

Equality's Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America

by Deborah Diesen

4.9 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	17918 KB
Print length	:	48 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE