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When Were Voting Rights Granted to All US Adult Citizens?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

The US Constitution has several Constitutional Amendments that concern voting rights. Over time, as America promoted greater civil liberties for all its citizens, voting rights have also undergone change. The main Amendments that concern suffrage or voting rights for all people are the following: Amendment 15, Amendment 19, Amendment 24, and Amendment 26.

When the United States formed, citizens with voting rights were primarily white males. Freed black men could also vote, but slaves were considered property — not citizens — and therefore disallowed the vote. Furthermore, states could administer poll taxes, which sometimes left poorer people without the ability to vote if they could not afford the tax. Women did not have voting rights. Voters in most states also had to be 21 before being granted the right to vote.

The 26th Amendment,which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, was the last amendment to the U.S. Constitution to address voting.
The 26th Amendment,which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, was the last amendment to the U.S. Constitution to address voting.

The first Amendment to try to address these inequities was Amendment 15, ratified in 1870. For the first time, blacks were considered as voting citizens, and no citizen of any nationality could be denied the right to vote based on race. Despite this Amendment, there were areas of the country that would not allow blacks to vote if they couldn’t prove they could read or write. It took the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to ban this unfair practice, thus truly opening up the voting process to all African American citizens.

Four Amendments have addressed voting rights in the US.
Four Amendments have addressed voting rights in the US.

Amendment 19 came as the result of the incredibly long battle for women’s suffrage. It was passed in 1920 and gave all citizens the right to vote regardless of gender. Still, voting rights were denied to those who couldn’t pay poll taxes. Citizens who were impoverished waited until 1964 for the passage of the 24th Amendment, which abolished poll taxes, creating greater class equity in the voting system.

The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allowed the voting public a direct way to select their senators.
The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allowed the voting public a direct way to select their senators.

The last constitutional Amendment to address voting rights was Amendment 26, passed in 1971. This extended the vote to anyone 18 years of age or older. Impetus for this Amendment was largely the result of the huge youth movement at the time. With the war in Vietnam raging, and the age of the draft set at 18, many argued that it was a violation of rights to ask people to fight a war when they were not voting citizens. The strength of the youth movement also offered a new opportunity for young adults to become politically involved. An organized vote among college-aged students can significantly impact elections.

Another Amendment that changed the process of voting was the 17th. This Amendment called for the direct election of senators. Prior to its passage, the voting public did not have a direct way to select their representatives in the Senate. Many people are only vaguely aware of the hard fought battle for votes, beginning with the history of the United States and the Revolutionary War. Despite the demand for these rights, many still fail to vote or consider voting unimportant or pointless. Both major political parties have taken many steps toward increasing voter turnout so that more people participate in this basic right of all citizens.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent UnitedStatesNow contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent UnitedStatesNow contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Soulfox

@Terrificli -- the difficulty of voting isn't the issue for some people. No, it is common to hear people complain that neither major political party is offering up quality candidates and voting on a third party is a waste of time. When people feel that disenfranchised, it's no surprise that they don't show up and vote.

That is not meant to excuse people who don't turn out to vote. In fact, perhaps this country needs all those angry citizens to show up and vote for a third party candidate, anyway. An alternative candidate could wind up in office and that might be just the thing this country needs.

Melonlity

@Terrificli -- no, it isn't that hard. Thanks to early voting, it is easy to swing by a local polling place over lunch, cast a ballot and be out the door in five minutes or less.

Terrificli

It is downright sad to read about all of the struggles people endured for the right to vote when you consider that only around 57 percent of Americans that were of voting age turned out for the 2012 presidential election. Things are even worse during non-presidential elections and primaries.

Is it really that hard to get out and take part in deciding who is running the government?

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    • The 26th Amendment,which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, was the last amendment to the U.S. Constitution to address voting.
      By: elnavegante
      The 26th Amendment,which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, was the last amendment to the U.S. Constitution to address voting.
    • Four Amendments have addressed voting rights in the US.
      By: Stephanie Frey
      Four Amendments have addressed voting rights in the US.
    • The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allowed the voting public a direct way to select their senators.
      By: orcea david
      The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allowed the voting public a direct way to select their senators.