Voting Disenfranchisement in the 2oth Century.
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Voting Disenfranchisement in the 2oth Century.
This article addresses the history of Voting disenfranchisement in the Us over time while focusing on the emerging tactics that deny people of color an opportunity to vote. The author mainly uses the 2020 presidential election as a case study with impeding factors that seemed to be working against the Voting Act.
Amy notes that voter disenfranchisement has evolved with time. It starts when constitution framers omitted the voting rights in the constitution and giving power to respective states to decide who will be eligible to vote. The wealthy white individuals were the only ones who voted. This did not only lockout blacks but also women in respective states. In 1890 under the 14th and 15th Amendments, blacks were freed and had the power to vote. Mississippi’s condition had a substantial black population, and their influence was being felt when they sent two black men to congress. This didn’t go well with the whites and thus led to introducing restrictive measures that would cut out blacks and other people of color. Notably, voting taxes and literacy tests were introduced. This move worked to lockout 90 percent of black voters as they were denied education and economic empowerment. Other states across the country emulated the action.
However, in 1960 the 24th amendment was enacted, which abolished voting taxes and other voter suppression tactics. Additionally, the federal government had the power to oversee elections in states with a history of voter discrimination.
Nonetheless, in a move meant to derail the efforts made towards achieving universal suffrage, Republic states legislators introduced new measures to govern the election. The measures include; Obtaining or identifying, or providing proof of citizenship, removing inactive names from voter registers, shortening early voting periods, and discouragement of absentee and mail-in voting. According to the US Commission on Civil Rights, these measures worked against people of color as most are immigrants. Additionally, federal government efforts in the oversight process have eroded over time, leaving lop holes for further suppression of voters due to color or economic abilities.
References
Voter suppression has haunted America since it was founded. (2020, August 21). National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/voter-suppression-haunted-united-states-since-founded