Vote Part I

Why is it so hard for people to vote? Voting is a fairly simple act: Get up, walk, jog, run, drive, to the elementary school down the street and cast your vote. But when you look at the history of voting it doesn’t seem like such a simple task. In 1776, the colonists declared their independence from Britain and began their own colonization.

From the beginning white men who owned property, were over the age of 21 and of Protestant religion had the right to vote and reign over the rest of the population. By 1830, many states dropped religion and property ownership as requirements for voting. This left twenty-one year old males, who were of European decent, to cast their votes upon the population.

Ninety years after the colonist declared their freedom from Britain they voted to grant former slaves whole personage with the 14th Amendment. However, this did not mean with personage came voting rights. Luckily, the 15th Amendment states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” This amendment however did not give voting rights to Native Americans. Therefore, all men, except Native Americans, are granted the “right” to vote, or perhaps the right is citizenship into the United States power. NATIVE Americans were not “granted” citizenship until 1940, and though they could be code-talkers for the military, voting rights were not granted in all states until 1947.

For years women watched as men steadily gained voting rights, toiling next to men, giving birth to them all without a voice. One hundred and twenty nine years after the Bill of Rights stated, “all men are created equal” the voices of women were heard. As with anyone “granted” the right to vote, equality does not come with citizenship it takes voting for that to happen.

At this point in our story, only twenty-one year olds can vote. Women and men could go to war at eighteen years of age but still could not vote for the people making those decisions; that right was not “granted” until 1971 when the voting age was lowered to eighteen.

Until 1964 and 1965 many loopholes had been developed to under mind the generosity of the colonists: literacy tests, poll taxes, Black Codes, along with various other methods. The obstacles in the the path of the voter are nothing to be scoffed at. It is no wonder voters have a hard time walking down the street and checking a candidate’s name. Votes are not counted, thrown out, machines break down, and the uncertainty of the Electoral College. Despite the obstacles still in the way such a strong battle was fought for these rights and couldn’t they disappear just as quickly as they came? Having a voice in country means making an informed decision and voting. It is a right, it is a privilege, it is necessary.