Voting plays a big role in the United States of America, representative democracy. Citizens have the opportunity to exercise indirect power to govern by voting. The vote is the formal expression of preference to a particular candidate. In the United States, voting is a mechanism that ensures that the majority will rule. People vote to choose government officials who will represent their interest. The franchise, or suffrage, is the right to vote. Today, all citizens of the United States eighteen years old and over are eligible to vote. The only exceptions are felons in prison, on probation, and on parole. Present conditions were not achieved quickly.
Throughout two centuries the voting rights were systematically denied for certain groups of …show more content…
The final outcome of fighters with racial segregation and discrimination was passage of the Twenty-fourth Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Twenty-fourth Amendment, passed in 1964, made unconstitutional any law that required paying poll tax in order to participate in federal elections. However, the poll tax still existed in some states until Supreme Court in 1966 ruled that the poll tax was unconstitutional violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment at every level, not just in federal elections. Congress abolished literacy tests in the South with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and nationwide in 1970. After the Twenty-sixth Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 removed the last remaining barrier in suffrage discrimination, the low voter registration rate showed that only small percent of eligible citizens exercising their constitutional right. The reason is complicated and outdated voter registration system. The voter registration rules differ from state to state. In most cases it is the voter responsibility to prove their eligibility before the Election Day. State authorities often required proof of age, citizenship, and residence. In order to keep people well informed on voter registration process and enhance voting opportunities, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 was enacted. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, popularly known as the Motor Voter Act, requires states to provide American citizens with the opportunity to register to vote at the same time that they apply for a driver 's license or renew a driver 's license. I believe that measures taken by government affected public policy. As we can see today, government is obligated to consider opinions of young population, women and
Throughout two centuries the voting rights were systematically denied for certain groups of …show more content…
The final outcome of fighters with racial segregation and discrimination was passage of the Twenty-fourth Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Twenty-fourth Amendment, passed in 1964, made unconstitutional any law that required paying poll tax in order to participate in federal elections. However, the poll tax still existed in some states until Supreme Court in 1966 ruled that the poll tax was unconstitutional violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment at every level, not just in federal elections. Congress abolished literacy tests in the South with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and nationwide in 1970. After the Twenty-sixth Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 removed the last remaining barrier in suffrage discrimination, the low voter registration rate showed that only small percent of eligible citizens exercising their constitutional right. The reason is complicated and outdated voter registration system. The voter registration rules differ from state to state. In most cases it is the voter responsibility to prove their eligibility before the Election Day. State authorities often required proof of age, citizenship, and residence. In order to keep people well informed on voter registration process and enhance voting opportunities, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 was enacted. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, popularly known as the Motor Voter Act, requires states to provide American citizens with the opportunity to register to vote at the same time that they apply for a driver 's license or renew a driver 's license. I believe that measures taken by government affected public policy. As we can see today, government is obligated to consider opinions of young population, women and