Voting: Will You Do It?

Name:

Everyone Has a Part

When the Founders wrote the Constitution, way back in 1787, it was a lot like
a group project. (One that had a really high-stakes grade!) They needed
everyone to do their part in order for it to be successful. In the end, they
came up with a pretty efficient form of government that asked citizens who
were “eligible” to contribute by voting. It wasn’t perfect—not by a long
shot—but when the Constitution was ratified more people in the newly
formed United States of America were granted suffrage, the right to vote,
than in other countries at the time. You might have called it revolutionary,
but it would actually take a lot longer before all citizens had this right.

Take a Step Back

Ask a really old person, and they’ll tell you that people had to fight for
their right to vote. It’s true. The question of who would be eligible to
legally vote in the United States when the Constitution was written was
left to each state to decide. At the time, white men over the age of 21
were thought to be “most qualified” to run the country. (And early on,
NO LAND? those men had to own a certain amount of land in order to qualify, too.)
NO VOTE! Who did this leave out? Most people of color, most women, and adults
under the age of 21 couldn’t vote. Now, whose interests do you think the
government cared most about advancing? Well, the people who could vote
for the leaders who were going to make those decisions, of course.

A Quick Civics Lesson

Voting is a lot like a microphone. With it, you speak loudly; without it, it’s unlikely that anyone will hear
you. Now imagine trying to get the right to vote when you don’t already have that right. It was really,
really hard. Since voting works like a microphone, when you vote, your legislators and leaders listen.
They’re accountable to you. And if you don’t like how they’re representing your interests, then you can
choose to vote for someone else in the next election. But women, African Americans, Native Americans,
and adults under the age of 21 couldn’t do that because they couldn’t vote, so legislators weren’t
necessarily compelled to change the voting laws for those groups.
So how did things change? In two ways. Because voting laws are determined
by the states, some groups worked to get each state to change its
laws. Others worked to get the people in Congress to write CITIZENSHIP DOESN’T
amendments, or changes, to the Constitution. People in EQUAL VOTING
each state then voted to ratify (or approve) those changes.
Once the amendments became part of the Constitution, You might think that citizenship would
all states had to follow them. But it wasn’t that simple. automatically entitle a person a say in their
For both methods, groups organized, wrote letters, government. Wrong! The 14th Amendment granted
circulated petitions, lobbied political figures, and African Americans citizenship, but the 15th
staged protests. They used civil disobedience, Amendment had to be added to give them the right to
which is when people intentionally refuse to obey vote. (For years most states just ignored it.) The Indian
the laws as a form of protest, to bring attention Citizenship Act granted Native Americans citizenship,
to their cause. Overtime, each group swayed but still they couldn’t vote. Women and D.C. residents
public opinion, and the national government was have always been considered citizens, but they couldn’t
pressured to continue to extend voting rights to always vote. Even you’re a citizen, but if you’re not yet
more and more of its citizens. 18, you can’t vote either.

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:

When did all adult Americans get the right to vote? Take a look at this timeline to see how voting rights
expanded over time.

1788: The U.S. Constitution is ratified. States retain the right to set their
own voting laws. In most cases, only white men over the age of 21 who own
property can vote.

1792–1856: States amend their constitutions to remove the property

requirements associated with voting. All white men over the age of 21 can vote.

1870: The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified. The

amendment prohibits states, including those in the north, from denying the
right to vote on account of race, color, or prior enslavement. Black men over the
age of 21 can now vote.

1877–1968: States pass and enforce Jim Crow laws. Despite the adoption of the 15th Amendment,
laws that enforce literacy tests, poll taxes, and the grandfather clause as well as intimidation and
violence disenfranchise (or stop) African Americans from voting. Government institutions like the
Supreme Court uphold many of the laws.

1890: Wyoming becomes the first state to grant women the right to vote. Women’s
groups continue to lobby state by state to have voting rights included.

1920: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified. The amendment
grants women the right to vote. Despite their participation in getting the
amendment passed, African American women continue to face discrimination and
disenfranchisement due to Jim Crow laws.

1924: The Indian Citizenship Act is passed. This Act grants full citizenship to all
Native Americans born in the U.S. However, voting rights are still determined by the
states and Native Americans face discrimination at the polls.

1957: Native Americans work many years to earn voting rights state by state. Utah
is the last state to remove laws preventing Native Americans from voting in national
elections. However, efforts to disenfranchise Native people continue in many states.

1961: The 23rd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified. Residents of

Washington, D.C. can participate in presidential elections.

1964: The 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified. This amendment bans
the use of poll taxes in federal elections.

1965: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is passed. This Act finally reinforces the
15th Amendment outlawing discriminatory voting practices and allowing
federal oversight of voter registration in states that had disenfranchised
voters.

1971: The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified. This

amendment, passed in the wake of the Vietnam War, lowers the voting age
from 21 to 18. It is ratified in just two months. (The shortest time of any
amendment!)

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:

Is It My Turn Yet?
It won’t be your turn until you’re at least 18 years of age. But when
or if it already is, will you vote? Believe it or not, not everyone does.
Some people don’t think that their vote matters, are just plain fed up
with politics, or simply aren’t involved enough to care. (Is this starting
to sound more like that group project?). Our representative democracy
works best when everyone who can does their part. When people don’t
vote, guess who’s calling the shots? Not someone the people wanted!
Guess who’s fixing the problems you care about? Probably no one
because the officials in office aren’t worried about if they’ll need your
vote to stay. Voting doesn’t just give you a voice in our government.
It’s also a mechanism that we use to point to what we want fixed and
changed in the country. It’s a right and a responsibility that we have as
citizens to keep our government functioning at its best.

What’s the Big Deal Anyway?

It’s pretty easy for us to get lazy and take things for Mob Rule... Say What?!!
granted, especially when things seem to be working out
fine. You may think that not voting is no big deal, but Voting is a very big deal, especially
it is a VERY. BIG. DEAL. True, if you don’t vote, then considering that not all of our Founders were
things will probably continue on as always. But what if keen on letting even all white male citizens
everyone in your community starts to feel the way that vote. What were they afraid of? Mob rule.
you do? And what if those who do show up to vote do The Founders feared that people would be
things you don’t like? Voting is your way to protect your ignorantly swayed by charismatic politicians
basic freedoms. And if you don’t care about them, why eager to wrap the country in tyranny again.
should anyone else???
Simply showing up to vote is a great start. Voting in the
BIG election—for the president—is good, but there are
other elections for offices and issues in your state and
in your localities. Less people show up for these. And
when you get right down to it, your voice matters much
closer to home. Decisions about the safety of your local
drinking water or how to fix the large potholes in your
street are not something the president will fix. It’s up to
you to decide who can best do the job.

Now to Vote
It won’t be long before it is your turn… to vote that is. First you need
to register. Then you’ll need to find out who is running for office in
your local, state, and federal elections. See what they have to say
about the issues that matter to you. Support the candidates who you
feel will do the most good. This doesn’t have to be done with money.
Campaigns are always looking for volunteers to spread their message.
And of course, what they really want is your vote.

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:

But I Still Have Questions…

How do I register to vote? You can always register in person with your
state or local election office, and, in most cases, when you get your
driver’s license. As of 2024 you can register online in 42 states, Guam,
and the District of Columbia. 22 states and D.C. allow same-day voter
registration right at the polls! Usually you will be asked to provide proof
of residency (like a pay stub showing your address) and identity (a driver’s
license or state-issued ID should do) when you register to vote. Unless
you move or change your name, you don’t usually need to do it again, but
its a good idea to check before each election.

What if I can’t get to the polls? No worries. Absentee voting is a way for
you to mail in your ballot, your actual vote. You may need a good reason,
so you should check your state’s requirements. Early voting may also
be a good choice if you know you won’t be able to vote on Election Day.
Most states will allow registered voters to vote on specific dates before
the election. Again, you should check your state’s requirements for exact
dates and instructions.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

Some states have passed laws that could make it harder to vote. Voter ID
laws require citizens to present photo identification when they show up to
vote. These laws can make it hard for voters who cannot afford or get the
documents needed for the photo ID. Usually this affects those with little
income, racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
The laws are intended to reduce voter fraud, and have plenty of supporters.
After all, you don’t want someone pretending to be you—or someone else—
casting a vote. But the laws have also prevented legitimate voters from
exercising their right as well.
You should check your state’s laws to see if you’ll need to provide an ID on
Election Day to vote. If you forget your ID at home or don’t have one, some
states may still allow you to vote, but may require that you sign an official
form confirming your identity or give you the option to cast a provisional
ballot (also known as a temporary ballot) instead. This type of ballot is used
when a voter’s eligibility to vote can’t be proven on Election Day. Later, if the
voter’s identity can be verified, the vote is counted.
As part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the federal government was given the ability to keep an
eye on voting procedures in states that had a history of voter discrimination. But the Supreme Court
decision in the case of Shelby County v. Holder (2013) struck this rule down. It’s more important than
ever that you know the voting procedures in your state. You can check your state’s election website
to find out what times the polls will close, the type of ID you need to provide, and how to alert your
voter registration officials to a name or address change or a typo in your voter registration information.
Knowing the rights you have as a voter when you go to the polls is important to ensure that no one
disenfranchises you (or stops you from voting). And actively voting in state elections, ensures that your
representatives know how you feel about laws that may affect how voting works in your state.

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:
A. Will You Vote? Read through the most common reasons young people ages 18-29 gave for not
voting, then answer the questions.
CIRCLE: Youth Reasons for Not Voting in 2016 Election, by College Experience
Source: CIRCLE analysis of the 2016 Survey of the Performance of American Elections (SPAE)

70%
65% 65%

60%

50% 47%
44%

40% 35%
33% 32%
30% 27%
22%
21% 21% 20% 20% 19% 19%
20%
15%

10%

0%
Didn’t Like Too Busy/Conflict Out of Town Problems with Problems with No Transportation Lines at Polling Inconvenient
Candidates/Issues on Election Day Voter ID Registration to Polling Place Place Too Long Hours/Location of
Polling Place
With College Experience Without College Experience

1. What was the number one reason 18-29 2. Now, which reason did those with college
year olds didn’t vote in the 2016 election? experience give more than those without it?

didn't like the candidates to busy on election day and out of town
______________________________________ ______________________________________

3. Which reason did those without college 4. Why do you think the reasons differ based on
experience give more than those with it? college experience?

no transportation, lines being to long, and

______________________________________ I_______________________________________
think reasons might have to do with financial
inconvenient polling location and hours status or general opportunities
5. Which reason surprises you most? Why? 6. Which reason does not surprise you? Why?
not having transportation surprised me
because how does a 29 year old have no
______________________________________ The candidates, in my personal opinion
_______________________________________
transportation neither candidate was particularly a good
choice
7. Brainstorm some things you could say to a person who doesn’t vote in order to convince them.
bringing up how they're vote matters whether
______________________________________
they think it does or not tell them that they have the power to
_______________________________________
change how the country goes
how not voting can affect their
______________________________________ ______________________________________
loved ones

8. Choose the best response from question 7. Create a bumper sticker to get the word out about voting.

if not for yourself for your

loved ones

VOTE!

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:
B. Voting…Today? It’s Election Day! Use the map to determine whether you can register and vote on
Election Day in the states listed in the chart. When you’re done, answer the questions.

*Note: Alaska and

Rhode Island allow
same-day registration
for presidential
elections

Source: Ballotpedia

1. Use the map to determine if you can register and vote on the same day in the following states.
Write the abbreviations of the states in the correct box.

Yes No
California (CA) Nebraska (NE)
Hawaii (HI) Oklahoma (OK)
Idaho (ID) Texas (TX)
Massachusetts (MA) Vermont (VT)
Maine (ME) West Virginia (WV)

2. What are some benefits to having same-day voter registration?

3. What are some possible problems that could happen with same-day voter registration?

4. Do you think same-day voter registration should be available in every state?

Explain your answer.

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:
C. You’re Protected! The federal government has passed laws with accommodations to help people
vote when it might otherwise be difficult for them. Read the law summaries and fill in the blanks.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) helps people with disabilities achieve a full and equal opportunity to
vote. Its protections apply on Election Day and during early voting processes and include provisions for voter
registration, site selection, and casting of ballots.
Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) ensures that the right to vote not be tied to a citizen’s ability to read, write,
pass an interpretation test, or achieve a certain level of education. In addition, voters who are blind or who
possess another disability may receive assistance from a person of their choosing when voting.
Military and Overseas Voting Empowerment Act of 2009 (MOVE) requires states to develop procedures allowing
military and overseas voters to request registration applications, absentee ballot applications, and election
information electronically. States must send absentee ballots no later than 45 days before an election.

The ________________________________ and _______________________________ include

provisions that protect the right to vote for people with disabilities. Some accommodations or

processes that election offices could provide on Election Day for individuals with disabilities include

________________________ , ___________________________ , and ________________________.

The VRA says the ability to ___________________________ , _________________________ ,

________________________________ , or _______________________________ can’t be used to

determine if an individual is eligible to vote. MOVE protects the voting rights of Americans

_______________________________ and members of the ________________________________ .

Because these citizens cannot physically vote on Election Day, states are required to provide

________________________________ , ________________________________ , and

________________________________ electronically.

D. Who Votes? Read the descriptions. Write the year each person was allowed to vote and which
amendment or law granted that right. Use the timeline from the reading to help you.
Description Year Amendment/Law

55-year-old African American male in

Georgia
15th Amendment
37-year-old white woman in Wyoming
19th Amendment
18-year-old soldier returning from war
23rd Amendment
26-year-old Native American woman
26th Amendment
in Utah
State Law
42-year-old mother living in Florida

75-year-old D.C. resident

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:
I. Who Could Vote in New Jersey? Read through the following primary source excerpts from New
Jersey voting laws. Follow the directions to mark up and analyze the texts.
1776 New Jersey Constitution

1. Underline the phrases that show who could legally vote in 1776 in New Jersey.

“4. That all Inhabitants of this Colony of full Age, who are worth Fifty Pounds Proclamation Money
clear Estate in the same, & have resided within the County in which they claim a Vote for twelve Months
immediately preceding the Election, shall be entitled to vote for Representatives in Council & Assembly; and
also for all other publick Officers that shall be elected by the People of the County at Large.”

1790 Election Law

2. Underline the phrases that show who could legally vote in 1790 in New Jersey.
3. Circle the word added in the first sentence that now determines who can vote.
4. According to this addition, who is not excluded from the right to vote because of this law? ________
5. Who has lost the right to vote because of this law? _____________________________
6. Could women vote in New Jersey in 1790? ___________ Box the word(s) that prove your answer.

“11. And be it further Enacted, That all free Inhabitants of this State of full Age, and who are worth Fifty
Pounds Proclamation Money clear Estate in the same, have resided within the County in which they claim a
Vote, for twelve Months immediately preceding the Election, shall be entitled to vote for all public Officers
which shall be elected by Virtue of this Act; and no Person shall be entitled to vote in any other Township
or Precinct that that in which he or she doth actually reside at the Time of the Election; and no Person who
shall be convicted of Treason against this State or the United States, or any of them, shall be entitled to vote
at any such Election.”

1807 Election Law

7. Underline the phrases that show who could legally vote in 1807 in New Jersey.
8. Circle any new voting restrictions that weren’t present in the previous laws.
9. Who has lost the right to vote because of this law? ______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

“Sec. 1. BE IT ENACTED, by the council and general assembly of this state, and it is hereby enacted by the
authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act, no person shall vote in any state or county
election for officers in the government of the United States, or of this state, unless such person be a free,
white, male citizen, of this state, of the age of twenty-one years, worth fifty pounds proclamation money,
clear estate, and have resided in the country where he claims a vote, for at least twelve months immediately
preceding the election.”

10. Explain how voting rights changed between 1776 and 1807.

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:

II. Could I Vote? Even though the 15th Amendment said that voting could not be denied on
account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, it was. But tactics used to suppress African
American voters were subtle. Can you sniff them out? Read the excerpt from the 1898 Louisiana State
Constitution and answer the questions on the next page.
State Constitution of Louisiana, 1898
ARTICLE 197
Every male citizen of this State and of the United States, native born or naturalized, not less than twenty-
one years of age, and possessing the following qualifications, shall be an elector, and shall be entitled to vote
at any election in the State by the people, except as may be herein otherwise provided.
SEC. 3. He shall be able to read and write, and shall demonstrate his ability to do so when he applies for
registration, by making, under oath administered by the registration officer or his deputy, written application
therefore, in the English language, or his mother tongue, which application shall contain the essential facts
necessary to show that he is entitled to register and vote, and shall be entirely written, dated and signed
by him, in the presence of the registration officer or his deputy, without assistance or suggestion from any
person or any memorandum whatever, except the form of application hereinafter set forth […]
SEC. 4. If he be not able to read and write, as provided by Section three of this article, then he shall be
entitled to register and vote if he shall, at the time he offers to register, be the bona fide owner of property
assessed to him in this State at a valuation of not less than three hundred dollars […] and on which, if such
property be personal only, all taxes due shall have been paid. The applicant for registration under this section
shall make oath before the registration office or his deputy, that he is a citizen of the United States and of this
State, over the age of twenty-one years; that he possesses the qualifications prescribed in section one of this
article, and that he is the owner of property assessed in this State to him at a valuation of not less than three
hundred dollars, and if such property be personal only, that all taxes due thereon have been paid.
SEC. 5. No male person who was on January 1st, 1867, or at any date prior thereto, entitled to vote under the
Constitution or statutes of any State of the United States, wherein he then resided, and no son or grandson
of any such person not less than twenty-one years of age at the date of the adoption of this Constitution,
and no male person of foreign birth, who was naturalized prior to the first day of January, 1898; shall be
denied the right to register and vote in this State by reason of his failure to possess the educational or
property qualifications prescribed by this Constitution; provided, he shall have resided in this State for five
years next preceding the date at which he shall apply for registration, and shall have registered in accordance
with the terms of this article prior to September 1, 1898, and no person shall be entitled to register under
this section after said date.
ARTICLE 198
No person less than sixty years of age shall be permitted to vote at any election in the State who shall not, in
addition to the qualifications above prescribed, have paid on or before the 31st day of December, of each year,
for the two years preceding the year in which he offers to vote, a poll tax of one dollar per annum, to be used
exclusively in aid of the public schools of the parish in which such tax shall have been collected; which tax
is hereby imposed on every male resident of this State between the age of twenty-one and sixty years. Poll
taxes shall be a lien only upon assessed property, and no process shall issue to enforce the collection of the
same except against assessed property.
ARTICLE 200
No person shall vote at any primary election or in any convention or other political assembly held for the
purpose of nominating any candidate for public office, unless he is at the time a registered voter. And in all
political conventions in this State the apportionment of representation shall be on the basis of population
[…]

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:

II. Could I Vote? Use the Louisiana State 3. The grandfather clause allowed voters who
Constitution of 1898 to answer the questions. couldn’t meet other requirements to vote if
their grandfathers had been permitted to
vote on or before a certain date. Circle
1. Underline where it says that voters must where the grandfather clause appears in this
pass constitution.
a literacy test (a test demonstrating their
a. What date is given? ___________________
ability to read and write) in order to register
to vote.
b. Is color or race mentioned? _____________
a. Is race or color mentioned? ___________
c. Who would have been most affected by this
b. Why might African Americans in 1898 not
requirement? Why?
have been able to meet this requirement?

______________________________________
____________________________________

______________________________________
____________________________________

______________________________________
____________________________________

c. Who else would this requirement have 4. Place [brackets] around the section of the
affected? constitution that states that a voter must pay a
poll tax (a fee eligible voters were required to
____________________________________
pay in order to cast their ballot).
a. How much was the tax? How often did it
2. If a person couldn’t pass the literacy test,
have to be paid?
what else could they do to be able to vote? Box
that detail in. ______________________________________
a. Is race or color mentioned? ___________
b. Is color or race mentioned? _____________
b. Who would this requirement have
affected? c. A lien is a claim placed on someone’s
property as security for the payment of a debt.
A property owner would have wanted to pay
____________________________________
their tax to avoid having a lien placed on their
property and would have been aware that the
____________________________________
tax was due. Non-property owners would have
been less aware, and, unlike with property
c. Why might African Americans have been
owners, no process existed to enforce the
more affected by this requirement than
paying of the tax. Why might African American
other races?
voters have been more affected by the effects
of a poll tax than white voters?
____________________________________
______________________________________
____________________________________
______________________________________
___________________________________
______________________________________

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Voting: Will You Do It? Name:

5. Why was it easy for state officials to deny that their policies
discriminated against African American voters?

6. How could someone prove that the laws unreasonably affected African American citizens at a higher
rate than white citizens?

© 2024 iCivics, Inc. Primary Source Analysis – Side D