Most 18 years olds in America are eligible to vote, but this hasn’t always been the case. With the upcoming Presidential election, voting is on everyone’s minds. This article is going to discuss a history of voting in the United States of America, and why you should vote in the next election and make your voice heard. 

The History of Voting in the USA

Here are some big landmarks in the history of voting in the USA over the years.

The 1700s:

1788: The founding fathers established the Electoral College. This means that the people do not directly elect the next President, but the Electoral College does. 

1789: The USA elects George Washington to be their first President.

The 1800s:

1840: Women begin to organize for the right to vote.

1850: Various groups around the country organize to create literacy laws that keep blacks and immigrants out of the polls since many of them were unable to vote. 

1861–1865: The American Civil War takes place.

1861: Jefferson Davis is elected President of the Confederate States of America.

1866: The 14th Amendment to the Constitution is passed by Congress. It states that men at the age of 21 and over who are residents of the United States have the right to vote. Women are still unable to vote.

1869: Congress passed the 15th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment granted all men the right to vote regardless of race, color, or if they were formally slaves. Also this year, Wyoming Territory women gained the right to vote and continued to have those rights when Wyoming became a state in 1890.

1870: Utah territory gave women the right to vote.

1878: An act to amend the Constitution and give women the right to vote was introduced into Congress but it did not pass.

The 1900s:

1920: Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote.

1964: Congress passed the 24th Amendment to the Constitution outlawing poll taxes. Poll taxes were another method of keeping people out of the polls who couldn’t afford to vote.

1965: The Voting Rights Act was signed by President Lyndon Johnson. The act enforces the 15th Amendment by stating that obstacles to voting such as literacy tests or complicated ballot instructions are against federal law.

1971: The 26th Amendment was passed by Congress lowering the voting age from 21 to 18. 

1975: Congress expanded the Voting Rights Act to protect the voting rights of those people who do not speak or read English.

The 2000s:

2000: For the first time in United States history, in a close and controversial election, the President of the United States was chosen based on a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Why You Should Vote

Photo by Cyrus Crossan on Unsplash

Make your voice heard

Making your voice heard is very important. By not voting, you are giving up your voice, and your constitutional right to use your voice to make a change in our society. Exercise your right to vote, and your right to make sure that your voice is heard. Citizens of the United States have the privilege to vote, and it would be a shame to throw that away, so exercise your right! If you don’t vote for your interests, who will? Speaking up for yourself is important! For more about speaking up for yourself, click here. 

Elections have consequences

It’s true- elections do have consequences. No matter who gets elected, that person is likely to create changes to policies in our country. If you want to have a say in those policies, voting is a great way to do that. First, educate yourself about the candidates and current events, such as Black Lives Matter and issues dealing with gender equality, then recognize that you can have a say in the outcome of this election. You have some say in the future of the country, and the consequences of this (and every) election. If you want the results of an election to be a certain way, then voting is an excellent way to make that happen. 

You could help make a change

This upcoming election is going to create a lot of change, no matter who gets elected. Voting will give you an opportunity to help make those changes. By voting for candidates who want to make changes that you support, you’ll be giving those candidates a chance to make those changes once they’re in office if you vote for them.

Conclusion

We at Safe Harbor International Ministries will never tell you who to vote for. We will tell you to educate yourself, make informed decisions, and to speak up for what you believe in. Make sure your voice is heard! SO, before this election, educate yourself about the candidates, and learn where and how you will vote this year. For a list of voter registration dates by state, click here. Use your voice in this year’s election!

Written by Jackie Ebel, blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, check out our blog page at https://safeharborim.com/articles/