history of voting By olson_harty Jan 1, 1790 Only white male adult property-owners have the right to vote. Dec 14, 1810 Last religious prerequisite for voting is eliminated Sep 13, 1850 Property ownership and tax requirements eliminated by 1850. Almost all adult white males could vote Dec 14, 1870 The 15th Amendment is passed. It gives former slaves the right to vote and protects the voting rights of adult male citizens of any race Oct 4, 1913 The 17th Amendment calls for members of the U.S. Senate to be elected directly by the people instead of State Legislatures. Jul 17, 1920 The 19th Amendment guarantees women's suffrage. May 8, 1924 Indian Citizenship Act grants all Native Americans the rights of citizenship, including the right to vote in federal elections Nov 13, 1961 The 23rd Amendment allows voters of the District of Columbia to participate in presidential elections. Dec 14, 1965 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., mounts a voter registration drive in Selma, Alabama, to draw national attention to African-American voting rights Feb 9, 1971 The 26th amendment sets the minimum voting age at 18.
