U.S. Government and Civics / Unit 5: Civil Rights and Citizenship
5.3 Expanding the Right to Vote
Notes
Suffrage (the right to vote) expanded through amendments and laws.
| Amendment | Year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 15th | 1870 | No denial based on race |
| 17th | 1913 | Voters directly elect senators |
| 19th | 1920 | No denial based on sex |
| 23rd | 1961 | Washington, D.C., gets electoral votes |
| 24th | 1964 | No poll taxes in federal elections |
| 26th | 1971 | Voting age lowered to 18 |
- The Voting Rights Act of 1965 greatly increased Black voter registration in the South.
- ***Shelby County v. Holder* (2013): struck down the formula that decided which places needed federal approval (preclearance**) before changing voting rules.
- States run elections and set many rules, such as registration deadlines, within constitutional limits.
Practice
Which amendment guaranteed women the right to vote?
The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920.
An 18-year-old is told she must wait until 21 to vote in a federal election. Which amendment protects her right to vote now?
The 26th Amendment (1971) set the voting age at 18.
A state charges citizens a fee to vote in an election for Congress. This violates:
The 24th Amendment bans poll taxes in federal elections.
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