When Were Voting Rights Granted to All US Adult Citizens?
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.
