Voting rights laws and constitutional amendments

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://script.crazyegg.com" crossorigin> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://www.googletagmanager.com" crossorigin> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" /> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="https://www.usa.gov/es/leyes-derecho-a-votar" data-type="altlang" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://www.usa.gov/voting-rights" data-type="conlang" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.usa.gov/voting-rights" /> <title>Voting rights laws and constitutional amendments | USAGov</title> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_LTrdypcYcIkXLeFH7USaDoVUY3NS0ZjbpDLW8fJc16o.css?delta=0&language=en&theme=usagov&include=eJxFjkEKxSAMRC9kmyNJNMEKGsVoi7evdfH_ZhhmhuTp1M4ZHCqboRjKDSEVh-nQPlOUYO7Ij8LWMxcaiQ1Lj31azo4JPNYei5iKDUPDeilQGxXT-U_OIXW4FPViWm8eUvsrrS-5Flk31XpspLAHx_Yfk0XKUezHwwp5UbkXq1pIPA" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/modules/contrib/uswds_paragraph_components/modules/uswds_paragraph_components_cards/css/uswds-paragraph-components-cards.css?srkqis" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_9ZdK60jY4S3Dn4ek4N_K9TfCU3nyJiCTIISA1cqOEzA.css?delta=2&language=en&theme=usagov&include=eJxFjkEKxSAMRC9kmyNJNMEKGsVoi7evdfH_ZhhmhuTp1M4ZHCqboRjKDSEVh-nQPlOUYO7Ij8LWMxcaiQ1Lj31azo4JPNYei5iKDUPDeilQGxXT-U_OIXW4FPViWm8eUvsrrS-5Flk31XpspLAHx_Yfk0XKUezHwwp5UbkXq1pIPA" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_RS0lu12kxAKVlYtiIn6qpAq__BevSHCXAmcrTugppls.css?delta=3&language=en&theme=usagov&include=eJxFjkEKxSAMRC9kmyNJNMEKGsVoi7evdfH_ZhhmhuTp1M4ZHCqboRjKDSEVh-nQPlOUYO7Ij8LWMxcaiQ1Lj31azo4JPNYei5iKDUPDeilQGxXT-U_OIXW4FPViWm8eUvsrrS-5Flk31XpspLAHx_Yfk0XKUezHwwp5UbkXq1pIPA" /> <script id="taxonomy-data"> dataLayer = [{ "nodeID": "257", "language": "en", "homepageTest": "not_homepage", "basicPagesubType": "Standard Page", "contentType": "basic_page", "Page_Type": "Content Page", "Taxonomy_Text_1": "Home", "Taxonomy_Text_2": "Voting and elections", "Taxonomy_Text_3": "Voting and election laws", "Taxonomy_Text_4": "Voting rights laws", "Taxonomy_Text_5": "Voting rights laws", "Taxonomy_Text_6": "Voting rights laws", "Taxonomy_URL_1": "/", "Taxonomy_URL_2": "/voting-and-elections", "Taxonomy_URL_3": "/voting-laws", "Taxonomy_URL_4": "/voting-rights", "Taxonomy_URL_5": "/voting-rights", "Taxonomy_URL_6": "/voting-rights", "hasBenefitCategory": false }]; </script>  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-W8LW6DB');</script>  <meta name="description" content="Learn about the federal laws and constitutional amendments that protect your voting rights and make it easier for you to vote." />  <link rel="icon" href="/themes/custom/usagov/images/Favicon_USAGov.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="/themes/custom/usagov/images/Favicon_USAGov.png">  <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.usa.gov/voting-rights" /> <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Voting rights laws and constitutional amendments | USAGov" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Learn about the federal laws and constitutional amendments that protect your voting rights and make it easier for you to vote." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Logo_USAGov.png" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Logo_USAGov.png" /> <meta name="referrer" content="no-referrer-when-downgrade" />  <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "url": "https://usa.gov/", "logo": "https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Logo_USAGov.png" } </script> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Constitutional amendments affecting voting rights", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "<ul> <li>The <a href=\"https://guides.loc.gov/15th-amendment\">15th Amendment</a> gave African American men the right to vote in 1870. But many weren't able to exercise this right. Some states used literacy tests and other barriers to make it harder to vote.</li> <li>The <a href=\"https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/amendment-19\">19th Amendment</a>, ratified in 1920, gave American women the right to vote.</li> <li>The <a href=\"https://history.house.gov/HistoricalHighlight/Detail/37045\">24th Amendment</a>, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes. The tax had been used in some states to keep African Americans from voting in federal elections.</li> <li>The <a href=\"https://history.house.gov/HistoricalHighlight/Detail/37022\">26th Amendment</a>, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age for all elections to 18.</li> </ul>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Federal voting rights laws", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "<p>Federal laws passed over the years help protect Americans' right to vote and make it easier for citizens to exercise that right:</p><ul><li>The Civil Rights Acts created some of the earliest federal protections against discrimination in voting. These protections were first outlined by the <a href=\"https://www.fjc.gov/history/timeline/civil-rights-act-1870\">Civil Rights Act of 1870</a> and were later amended by the:<ul><li><a href=\"https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Civil-Rights-Act-of-1957/\">Civil Rights Act聽of 1957</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-rights-act/civil-rights-era.html#obj110\">Civil Rights Act聽of 1960</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/civil-rights-act.htm\">Civil Rights Act聽of 1964</a></li></ul></li><li>The <a href=\"https://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/voting-rights-1965\">Voting Rights Act of 1965</a> prohibited voter discrimination based on race, color, or membership in a language minority group. It also required certain places to provide election materials in languages besides English.<ul><li>The act also placed limits on certain states with a history of voter discrimination. These states had to get federal approval before passing voter restrictions. <a href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-section-5-voting-rights-act\">A 2013 Supreme Court decision</a> struck down this rule.</li></ul></li><li>The <a href=\"https://www.ada.gov/resources/disability-rights-guide/#voting-accessibility-for-the-elderly-and-handicapped-act\">Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984</a> required polling places to be accessible to people with disabilities.</li><li><a href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/uniformed-and-overseas-citizens-absentee-voting-act\">The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986 and the Military and Overseas Voting Empowerment (MOVE) Act of 2009</a> improved access to voting for military voters and voters living outside of the U.S.</li><li>The <a href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act\">National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993</a> created new ways to register to vote. It also called for states to keep more accurate voter registration lists.</li><li>The <a href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/help-america-vote-act-2002\">Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002</a> authorized the federal funding聽of聽elections. It also created the <a href=\"https://www.eac.gov/about-the-useac\">U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)</a>. The EAC helps states comply with HAVA to adopt minimum standards on voter education, registration, and ballots.</li></ul><p>Learn more about the federal laws that protect your ability to vote with聽<a href=\"https://www.justice.gov/file/1517936/download\">Know Your Voting Rights</a>聽from the Department of Justice.</p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "State voter ID laws", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "<p>Most states require you to show some form of identification before you're allowed to vote. Learn more about <a href=\"/voter-id\">states' voter ID requirements</a>.</p>" } } ] } </script> </head> <body>  <noscript><iframe title="GTM" sandbox src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-W8LW6DB" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <a href="#skip-to-h1" class="usa-skipnav usa-sr-only focusable"> Skip to main content </a> <div class="usa-overlay"></div> <header class="usa-header usa-header--extended" id="header"> <div class="usa-banner-inner"> <div> <section class="usa-banner" aria-label="An official website of the United States government" id="usagov-banner"> <div class="usa-accordion"> <div class="usa-banner__header" role="banner"> <div class="usa-banner__inner"> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <img aria-hidden="true" class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/themes/custom/usagov/images/favicon-57.png" alt="U.S Flag" /> </div> <div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto"> <p class="usa-banner__header-text"> An official website of the United States government </p> <p class="usa-banner__header-action usa-banner__header-action-mobile">Here's how you know</p> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="16" class="usa-banner_expand_arrow usa-banner__header-action"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M16.59 8.59L12 13.17 7.41 8.59 6 10l6 6 6-6z"/> </svg> </div> <button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default"> <span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="16" class="usa-banner_expand_arrow usa-banner__button-text"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M16.59 8.59L12 13.17 7.41 8.59 6 10l6 6 6-6z"/> </svg> </button> </div> </div> <div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner-default"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg"> <div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6"> <img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/usagov/assets/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /> <div class="usa-media-block__body"> <p> <strong>Official websites use .gov</strong><br /> A <strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. </p> </div> </div> <div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6"> <img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/usagov/assets/img/icon-https.svg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /> <div class="usa-media-block__body"> <p> <strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong><br /> A <strong>lock</strong> ( <span class="icon-lock"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52" height="64" viewBox="0 0 52 64" class="usa-banner__lock-image" aria-labelledby="banner-lock-description-default" focusable="false"> <title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title> <desc id="banner-lock-description-default">Locked padlock icon</desc> <path fill="#000000" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M26 0c10.493 0 19 8.507 19 19v9h3a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v28a4 4 0 0 1-4 4H4a4 4 0 0 1-4-4V32a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h3v-9C7 8.507 15.507 0 26 0zm0 8c-5.979 0-10.843 4.77-10.996 10.712L15 19v9h22v-9c0-6.075-4.925-11-11-11z" /> </svg> </span> ) or <strong>https://</strong> means you鈥檝e safely connected to the .gov website. 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</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/voter-accessibility-laws"> Voter accessibility laws </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/election"> How the president is elected </a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/inauguration"> Inauguration of the president </a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/election-results"> Results of past elections </a> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </aside> <div class="usa-layout-docs__main usa-prose desktop:grid-col-8"> <h1 class="text-red-50" id ="skip-to-h1" > <span>Voting rights laws and constitutional amendments</span> </h1> <div id="block-usagov-content" class="block block-system block-system-main-block"> <div class="content-wrapper"> <div class="usa-prose"> <p class="usa-intro font-serif-md"> Federal laws govern voting rights. Learn about the laws and how they protect your rights and make it easier for you to vote. </p> </div> <div class="usa-prose body-copy"><p>U.S. election laws date back to Article 1 of the Constitution. This gave states the responsibility of overseeing federal elections. Many constitutional amendments and federal laws protecting voting rights have been passed since then.</p><div data-embed-button="paragraphs" data-entity-label="USWDS Components" data-paragraph-id="0420dd31-4328-4df1-b1f1-3f72702ab7c5" data-paragraph-revision-id="958" data-langcode="en" data-view-mode="embed" data-entity-embed-display="entity_reference_revisions:entity_reference_revisions_entity_view" data-entity-type="embedded_paragraphs" data-entity-uuid="0420dd31-4328-4df1-b1f1-3f72702ab7c5" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity"> <div class="field field--name-paragraph field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="usa-accordion paragraph paragraph--type--uswds-accordion paragraph--view-mode--embed paragraph--id--1096">  <h2 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button class="usa-accordion__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="1096-0"> Constitutional amendments affecting voting rights </button> </h2> <div id="1096-0" class="usa-accordion__content usa-prose" hidden="until-found"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text-field paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--1090"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><ul> <li>The <a href="https://guides.loc.gov/15th-amendment">15th Amendment</a> gave African American men the right to vote in 1870. But many weren't able to exercise this right. Some states used literacy tests and other barriers to make it harder to vote.</li> <li>The <a href="https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/amendment-19">19th Amendment</a>, ratified in 1920, gave American women the right to vote.</li> <li>The <a href="https://history.house.gov/HistoricalHighlight/Detail/37045">24th Amendment</a>, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes. The tax had been used in some states to keep African Americans from voting in federal elections.</li> <li>The <a href="https://history.house.gov/HistoricalHighlight/Detail/37022">26th Amendment</a>, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age for all elections to 18.</li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> <h2 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button class="usa-accordion__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="1096-1"> Federal voting rights laws </button> </h2> <div id="1096-1" class="usa-accordion__content usa-prose" hidden="until-found"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text-field paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--1092"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Federal laws passed over the years help protect Americans' right to vote and make it easier for citizens to exercise that right:</p><ul><li>The Civil Rights Acts created some of the earliest federal protections against discrimination in voting. These protections were first outlined by the <a href="https://www.fjc.gov/history/timeline/civil-rights-act-1870">Civil Rights Act of 1870</a> and were later amended by the:<ul><li><a href="https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Civil-Rights-Act-of-1957/">Civil Rights Act of 1957</a></li><li><a href="https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-rights-act/civil-rights-era.html#obj110">Civil Rights Act of 1960</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/civil-rights-act.htm">Civil Rights Act of 1964</a></li></ul></li><li>The <a href="https://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/voting-rights-1965">Voting Rights Act of 1965</a> prohibited voter discrimination based on race, color, or membership in a language minority group. It also required certain places to provide election materials in languages besides English.<ul><li>The act also placed limits on certain states with a history of voter discrimination. These states had to get federal approval before passing voter restrictions. <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-section-5-voting-rights-act">A 2013 Supreme Court decision</a> struck down this rule.</li></ul></li><li>The <a href="https://www.ada.gov/resources/disability-rights-guide/#voting-accessibility-for-the-elderly-and-handicapped-act">Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984</a> required polling places to be accessible to people with disabilities.</li><li><a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/uniformed-and-overseas-citizens-absentee-voting-act">The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986 and the Military and Overseas Voting Empowerment (MOVE) Act of 2009</a> improved access to voting for military voters and voters living outside of the U.S.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act">National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993</a> created new ways to register to vote. It also called for states to keep more accurate voter registration lists.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/help-america-vote-act-2002">Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002</a> authorized the federal funding of elections. It also created the <a href="https://www.eac.gov/about-the-useac">U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)</a>. The EAC helps states comply with HAVA to adopt minimum standards on voter education, registration, and ballots.</li></ul><p>Learn more about the federal laws that protect your ability to vote with <a href="https://www.justice.gov/file/1517936/download">Know Your Voting Rights</a> from the Department of Justice.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> <h2 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button class="usa-accordion__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="1096-2"> State voter ID laws </button> </h2> <div id="1096-2" class="usa-accordion__content usa-prose" hidden="until-found"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text-field paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--1094"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Most states require you to show some form of identification before you're allowed to vote. Learn more about <a href="/voter-id">states' voter ID requirements</a>.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-element-container settings-tray-editable block block-views block-views-blockwizard-step-test-block-1" id="block-views-block-wizard-step-test-block-1" data-drupal-settingstray="editable"> <div><div class="js-view-dom-id-51da7256a014c16c0e264183927f55e5b911449a9836167b2d120abb08e3d021"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="additional_body_info"> <p id="last-updated">LAST UPDATED: August 22, 2024 </p> <div id="sm-share"> <span id="share-page">SHARE THIS PAGE:</span> <div class="share-icons"> <a aria-labelledby="share-page fb" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.usa.gov/voting-rights&v=3"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="fb" src="/themes/custom/usagov/images/social-media-icons/Facebook_Icon.svg" alt="Facebook"/> </div> </a> <a aria-labelledby="share-page twr" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=webclient&text=https://www.usa.gov/voting-rights"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="twr" src="/themes/custom/usagov/images/social-media-icons/X_Twitter_Icon.svg " alt="X Twitter USAGov"/> </div> </a> <a aria-labelledby="share-page em" href="mailto:?subject=https://www.usa.gov/voting-rights"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="em" src="/themes/custom/usagov/images/social-media-icons/Email_Icon.svg" alt="Email"/> </div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="border-top-05 border-base-lightest"></div> <div id="question-box"> <div class="usa-prose border-left-1 padding-left-205 border-cyan-10 margin-top-8 margin-bottom-9 padding-bottom-2"> <h2 class="font-family-heading margin-top-0"> Have a question? </h2> <p>Ask a real person any government-related question for free. 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Voting rights laws and constitutional amendments | USAGov