History of Voting in America

Voting is one of the most important things you can do as an American citizen. It is an extremely special thing that we often take for granted. Voting is not just a right that we have. It is an opportunity to make a difference in our country’s politics and perhaps the course of American history. Throughout history, people from all over the world have sacrificed everything in pursuit of obtaining the right to vote. It’s a right that even today, people continue to fight for in places where they have corrupt governments that vanquish their freedom and it is why so many people in this world do not enjoy this special right. However, we Americans, do. We are given the opportunity to live in a society that provides rights for their citizens, and that is something we should not take for granted. Voting is our way to show the government and the people what we think and what we want to happen. That is why no one should pass up the chance to vote. “Somewhere inside of all of us is the power to change the world”, - Roald Dahl. This quote truly shows and impacts the way you think about voting because voting isn't just something that you can do as an American citizen, but it is how we can change the United States for the better. Voting is our voice in this country, and I think many people want to be heard. However, voting rights did not just come along to us one day. Over the course of the years, millions of people needed to fight for the right to vote, so we too could have the opportunity to have a voice in our government system.

Voting had a big impact on the world in the years 1776-1914. During this time period, the world was taken over by rich white men. Everyone else was considered irrelevant and had no voice. In 1776, voting was controlled by individual state legislatures. Only white men who owned land could vote (‘History of Voting in America’). When voting first started, black people were slaves. They were considered disrespectful, unqualified people. Even so, skin color did not play a major role in deciding who voted or not. A large majority of the population was white; however, because they were women or men who owned no land, they too were not allowed to vote. But that changed in 1868 when the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution helped so many people with citizenship rights like voting rights, to all men born or that are citizens in the United States (‘History of Voting in America’). Now, instead of just having white men over 21 that are landowners able to vote, it became all men that are born in America (except African Americans, who were no longer considered slaves but were still socially discriminated). In 1870, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution eliminates racial barriers to voting; however, many states kept discriminating. Poll taxes, literacy tests, fraud, and intimidation still stopped a lot from voting. Native Americans were also still not able to vote. The rich people did not like that the poor people could vote because they thought that they were not educated enough. In order to bar them from voting, they made literacy tests and reading tests knowing that they could not afford to go to school. Black people are fighting for their rights but still are getting denied and not respected by the public and the government. Woman are not fighting for their voting rights so in 1910 Washington voters fix the State Constitution, letting women now vote and run for office (‘History of Voting in America’). Now after fighting for many years for rights woman could finally have rights and respect from men. In 1912 Washington voters fixed the State Constitution, now the citizens are allowed to help think of ideas for initiatives and referenda; in 1914 the government banned alcohol sales. In this time all voters had a chance to vote on something that could affect all of them in their everyday lives. Throughout these times voting has become a big part of history, these times are when it all started and became more effective throughout America.

From the years 1913-1965 voting became more open to more people. It wasn’t just white men but also others who stood up for their rights. The woman realized that that should have equal voting rights as men so, after 70 years of struggling, the woman who were American gained the right to vote in 1920 (Marsico). Women have always been thought of as the housemaid's and the caretakers, and during this time they are starting to prove that they were more than just that. I think that men were probably giving more respect to the woman now that they also had a say in what was going to happen in the country. Three years later, Washington State voters pass Initiative 40, which introduced a poll tax, which was not a very good thing for many people. Poll taxes are used in many states as a way to discriminate against certain voters in 1923 (Scholastic). The poll taxes were made to be used as tax fee’s so that poor people could no longer want to vote because they needed to pay for it. Also, after the extension of voting rights black people were still not able to vote. They made it impossible by raising all taxes, literacy tests, harassment and violence. By 1940 only 3% of eligible black men registered to vote in the south because of the fact that none of them had a good education because only white people really got one (Hillstorm). One year later they had the Indian Citizenship Act that grants Native Americans citizenship and voting rights in 1924. It was also known as the Snyder Act, it was proposed by Representative Homer P. Snyder of New York and granted full U.S. citizenship to the indigenous peoples of the United States, called 'Indians' in this Act (Lansford). Throughout the next couple of years, African Americans try and fight their way into being able to vote. In January 1964, the 24th Amendment ratified, taking away all poll taxes (‘History of Voting in America’). By taking away poll taxes they then made it easier for more people to vote, so instead of getting only receiving votes of wealthy white men they also got the votes of the majority of the people. However African Americans are still denied the right to vote, more and more people realized that it wasn’t right so In June 1964, more than 1,000 college students from across the country arrived in Mississippi to help register African American voters (Hillstrom). By doing this the college students probably opened more eyes of white people to help the African Americans finally have more rights and help them gain them.

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During the time periods, 1965- 1984 for all people voting became easier, and more variety of people could vote. “In 1965 The Voting Rights Act is signed by President Lyndon Johnson. The act enforces the 15th Amendment by explicitly stating that obstacles, such as literacy tests or complicated ballot instructions, are against federal law” (Schoolastic). Doing this not only changed the variety of people being able to vote, but this act also got most African Americans to start voting. This way when elections come more people will be satisfied and more happy living in their community no matter how smart or wealthy they may be. African American people could finally vote, it took woman 70 years of fighting to be able to get this right and it took African Americans a civil war and 100 years to fully be able to experience that right. However now that the literacy tests are suspended, voting registration rights are now federally enforced (Scholastic). As the government is trying to expand the variety of people who are allowed to vote so they, in 1971 have the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that says that the voting age lowered to 18 (‘Voting and Election History’). By doing this they have made it so not only more people can vote but younger people could start understanding their government and how it is run. They’re educating younger men and women of the society and being able to have more people vote for what they believe will help out themselves and their communities the most. Since they want to keep expanding more people, in 1975 the federal Voting Rights Act is renewed, permanently banning literacy tests nationwide. Section 203 is added, requiring translated voting materials in areas with large numbers of citizens with limited English skills (‘History of Voting in America’). This also made it easier for more people who either did not speak English and did not have a very good education to be able to vote.

Now, every American citizen has the right and the ability to vote without any problems, however, there are many debates going on about how we could improve voting. In 2000 the U.S. Census reveals that Washington’s non-English speaking population has grown large enough that some counties must translate voting materials in compliance with the 1975 Voting Rights Act (‘History of Voting in America’). Since now everyone is equal and can vote without having racial problems, many Latinos came to America and became citizens. But many people today have a problem with that, they say, “We don’t want any immigrants voting who haven't made the conscious and sincere decision to renounce loyalty to the country that they came from and pledge to the U.S.” (Lanford). So, this is a big debate that is going on in the U.S., I know it may sound cruel but what most people are trying to convey is that voters from other countries will not vote for what they think is right for Americans but for people from their countries. Another debate that’s happening right now is if the voting age should be lowered to 16 or not. Some say that the voting age shouldn’t be lowered because kids are irresponsible and will only vote on what their parents vote on without really understanding politics (Lankford). Others say that we should include younger generations into voting so that they are more prepared and can make their generation as best as possible. Something else that really affects voters’ decisions this day in age is the media (presidential election process). The media can always persuade you to make you want to choose someone above someone else because of all the fake things they could say about what or who you were possibly going to vote on.

There are a lot of history and sacrifices people made for everyone so that today, we could have the opportunity to vote. The fact that voting all started with just white men who were above 21 and owned land now we have men and women voting with all different races. We have come so far and had many people need to sacrifice everything they had and we as Americans should be grateful and take voting more seriously. Voting is one of the things that makes America, America and we should never take that for granted.