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Rise of Democratic Politics
The right to vote was expanded to property-less men and white manhood where previously voting was a thing of the elite. This shifted the societal norms and led to more representation in politics, especially for white men. -
15th Amendment
The right to vote was expanded to African American men through this amendment. The 15th Amendment protects individuals' right to vote if the state or federal governments deny that individual the right to vote based on race. The 15th Amendment protects against racial discrimination when it comes to voting. -
19th Amendment
The right to vote was expanded for women. The voting rights of women are guaranteed in state and federal elections through the 19th Amendment. This establishes that voting cannot be denied on account of race. -
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 expanded voting rights for Native Americans born in the U.S. This piece of legislation provided Native Americans with citizenship in the United States which means they have the full rights of other citizens. One of those rights is voting rights. -
McCarren Walter Act of 1952
The McCarren Walter Act gave Asian Americans the right to vote. This act granted all Asian Americans born in the U.S. citizenship and the right to vote. This act protects the rights of Asian Americans who are born in the United States while also granting them citizenship. -
23rd Amendment
The 23rd Amendment gave D.C. residents the right to vote for United States presidents but not congressional representation. This guarantees D.C. residents the right to vote in presidential elections giving them representation in the United States government. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment expanded voting rights to African Americans and low-income individuals. This amendment prohibits the use of poll taxes in the federal elections which creates equal access to the ballot and represents underrepresented groups such as African Americans and low-income citizens. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA)
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 expanded voting rights for people of color, especially African Americans. This piece of legislation enforces the voting rights of minorities who face discrimination in voting in local and state governments. -
26th Amendment
The 26th Amendment expanded voting rights to citizens who are 18 and older. This Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 which expanded voting to millions of young Americans who had been eligible for military service and wanted to vote. This Amendment ensures that individuals from 18 can participate in government and be represented fairly. -
VRA Reauthorization of 1975
The VRA Reauthorization of 1975 baned voting literacy tests and expanded voting rights to individuals whose primary language was not English. This piece of legislation aimed to ensure that language barriers could not prevent individuals from participating in voting and required voting materials to be translated for language-minority citizens. -
Voting Accessibility for Elderly and Handicapped Act
This piece of legislation expanded voting for individuals with disabilities and the elderly. The legislation requires polling places for federal elections to be accessible to the elderly and handicapped voters. This ensures that these individuals can vote and be represented like other groups.