Voting Rights Timeline

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    Rise of Democratic Politics

    During the rise of U.S. democratic politics and government, suffrage was given to white, property-owning men.

  • 15th Amendment

    The 15th Amendment expanded suffrage to African American men- right to vote regardless of race and ethnicity.

  • 19th Amendment

    The 19th Amendment granted American women the right to vote- protecting women's suffrage.

  • Indian Citizenship Act of 1924

    The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 expanded citizenship and suffrage to Native Americans born in the United States, and it protects these rights from prejudicial views.

  • McCarren Walter Act of 1952

    The McCarren Walter Act of 1952 removed race as a barrier to immigration and broadened access to American citizenship and voting rights to Asian Americans.

  • 23rd Amendment

    The 23rd Amendment to the Constitution gives and protects DC resident's right to vote in presidential elections.

  • 24th Amendment

    The 24th Amendment to the Constitution expanded suffrage to low-income Americans as it prohibited the use of poll taxes for federal elections. The 24th Amendment protected lower-class Americans right to vote from financial oppression.

  • Voting Rights Act of 1965

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 further expanded the right to vote to African Americans as it aimed to protect people of color from discriminatory barriers, primarily literacy tests.

  • 26th Amendment

    The 26th Amendment to the Constitution lowered the voting are from 21 to 18 years old. Following the Vietnam War, Americans believed that if an 18-year-old could be drafted in the war, they should have the right to vote.

  • VRA Reauthorization of 1975

    The VRA Reauthorization of 1975 expanded on protecting minority voters by requiring that voting materials be translated for language-minority citizens. This allows citizens who practice/learn English as their second language to fulfill their right to vote.

  • Voting Accessibility for Elderly and Handicapped Act

    The Voting Accessibility for Elderly and Handicapped Act expands suffrage to elderly and disabled Americans by requiring that polling sites be accessible for people with disabilities. The Voting Accessibility Act protects the American voting system from ableism, or practices of discrimination against people with physical or intellectual disabilities.