The right to vote, otherwise known as franchise or suffrage, is very important to many American citizens as it provides them a voice in the selection of America’s leaders. While most United States citizens are free to practice this right today, this was not always the case. Many Americans were once unable to practice this right due to factors such as their age, race or gender. The fight for universal suffrage spanned almost a century, from the end of the Civil War to the women’s suffrage movement to the civil rights movement. Understanding the fight for universal suffrage and the legislation created to make it happen shows why the right to vote is such an important right to have.
After the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished, African Americans were considered citizens of the United States. Of all the rights that were given to these “new” citizens, the right to vote was not one of them. This particular right was reserved for white males who owned property (“Right to Vote”). Passed in 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution changed this by granting African American males the right to vote without being discriminated against on the basis of race. This was a positive step toward racial equality, but it was met with much resistance. Since the Constitution makes no mention of an actual right to vote, many states utilized legal tactics such as poll taxes and literacy tests to deter African American voters. Many blacks at the time were too poor and not well educated, so they were often unable to afford the poll tax or to pass the literacy tests (Dautrich and Yalof 371).
While the Fifteenth Amendment made it possible for African American males to vote, it did nothing to help women, who also wanted to be able to vote. At this time, men and women did not share the same rights. The women’s rights movement came together to fight for the right for “better opportunities for education and employment” (History.com Staff). To achieve these goals, women needed a voice in leadership. Activists for women’s suffrage such as Susan B. Anthony fought hard for women to receive the right to vote. The Nineteenth Amendment was passed in 1920, allowing women, black and white, the right to suffrage.
With all of this progress, the right to vote was still something that many people could not exercise due to being too young. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, which lowered the legal voting age from 21 to 18, was passed in 1971 during the Vietnam War. It was passed due to the fact young Americans could be “drafted into the war, but not vote in federal elections” (Smentkowski). This amendment gave these young people a say in their future.
All of the aforementioned amendments were positive steps in the direction of universal suffrage, but they did not completely prevent discrimination. African American men and women, as well as people of other races, were still subjected to poll taxes and literacy tests when they wanted to vote. This discrimination went on for nearly a century. The Twenty-fourth Amendment, which made the act of collecting poll taxes illegal, was passed in 1964. One year later, in 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed, making it illegal to administer literacy tests to voters. These two pieces of legislation helped to prevent racial discrimination at the polls, and also simplified the act of voting. In 1993, the National Voter Registration Act was passed allowing voters the ease of registering to vote while renewing their driver’s license.
Voting is an important function of American citizens. Without the right to vote, many Americans would not be represented by national leaders. They would have no say on many important issues that affect everyone. The right to vote allows the power to be in the hands of the people to decide who will represent them.
Works Cited
- “Right to Vote.” Advancement Project. Advancement Project, 2016. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
- Dautrich, Kenneth, and David A. Yalof. The Enduring Democracy: Central Texas College Edition. Fourth ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2015. Print.
- History.com Staff. “19th Amendment.” History.com. A+E Networks, 2010. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
- Smentkowski, Brian P. “Twenty-sixth Amendment.” Encyclodpedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.