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First stage
The first stage of th struggle to extend voting rights came in the early 1800's. Religious qualifications, instituted in colonial days, quickly disappeared. No state has had a religious test for voting since 1810. Then, one by one, States began to eliminate property ownership and tax payment qualifications. By mid century, almost all white males could vote in every state. -
Second stage
The second major effort to broaden the electorate followed the civil war. The 15th amendment, ratifiead in 1870, was intended to protect any citizen from being denied the right to vote because of race pr color. Still, for nearly another century African Americans were systematically prevented from voting, and they remained the largest group of desinfranchised citizens in the nation's population. -
Third stage
The 19th amendment prohibited the denial to the right to vote because of sex. its ratification in 1920 completed the third expansion of suffrage. Wyoming, while still a terriotory< had given women the vote in 1869. By 1920 more than half the states had followed the lead -
Fourth stage
A fourth major extension took place during the 1960's. During that time, federal legislation and court decisions focused on securing African Americans a full role in the electoral process in all states. With the passage and vigorous enforcement of a number of civil rights acts, especially the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and its later extensions, racial equality finally became fact in polling booths throught the country. -
Fifth Stage
The fifth and latest expansion of the electorate came with the adoption of the 26th amendment in 1971. It provides that no state can minimum age for voting at no more than the age of 18 years of age. in other words, those 18 and over were given th right to vote by this amendment.
