Extending the right to vote in America

1. Religious Restrictions Removed

• 1810: States began to eliminate religious qualifications to vote

2. Property ownerships restrictions

• 1850’s States began eliminated ownership of property as a requirement to vote

3. 1870: Race Restrictions on Men

• The 15th amendment allowed all men to vote regardless of color and race.

4. Gender Restrictions

• 19th Amendment allowed all women 21 and older to vote

5. 1961: D.C. residents now have Electoral votes to elect the president

• 23rd Amendment Gave D.C. three electoral votes

6. 1964: Eliminated poll taxes

• 24th Amendment ended the requirement of a tax to vote

Poll tax receipt

7. 1965 Voting Rights Act

• Outlawed all literacy tests in the United States.• Alabama

Literacy test• http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/new

s/jimcrow/origins/images/al_literacy.pdf

8. 1971: Legal adults can vote

• 26th Amendment: All 18 year olds can vote.

Voting in America by the Numbers

Do these videos work to get young people out to vote

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by2ECbOjcw0&feature=related

Ideas to increase voting in the United

States

Same day registration instead of 30 days ahead of time

All citizens automatically registered at age 18

Make election a holiday

Hold fewer elections (like most other countries)

Change election day to Saturday or Sunday

Make Voting Mandatory

Longer Period of time to voteMore than one day

Internet Voting

Voter Qualifications

Citizenship

• Allows for only citizens to vote•We shouldn’t be voting in

Canada’s and Mexico’s elections.

Residence

• Most states require 30 days• Allows voters time to know the

issues• Prevents fraud

Age

• Assures that voters have the maturity and knowledge to understand the issues.• Legal Adults

Registration

• Prevents Fraudulent voting

Previous voter qualifications that are now illegal

Literacy Tests

• Theory: Keeps people who don’t have the mental and reading ability from voting• Reality: Used to keep immigrants

and minorities from voting.

Poll Taxes

• Made people pay to vote• Kept poor people from voting

Grandfather Clauses

• If Your grandfather voted then you didn’t have to take a literacy test.• Effect: Only ex-slaves families and

immigrants would have to take literacy tests.

The following groups are denied the right to vote

People who are in mental institutions

Mentally Incompetent

Convicted of a felony (serious crime)

• Some states

In jail or prison

Dishonorably discharged from the armed forces

• Some states

Or if you’re Homer Simpson

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aBaX9GPSaQ&feature=related

Why Qualified voters DON’T vote

Why qualified voters don’t vote

• My vote doesn’t matter• Satisfied with the way things are• Distrust Politicians• It’s inconvenient and time consuming• Time Zone fallout• Lack of interest in politics• Absent from area on election day• I might have to do jury duty!