extending the right to vote in america
DESCRIPTION
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. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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!