This activity is part of Module 13: Voting Rights in America from the Constitution 101 Curriculum.
While the original Constitution left the issue of voting largely to the states, a series of new constitutional amendments shaped elections and voting in America, including by banning discrimination at the ballot box based on race (15th Amendment) and sex (19th Amendment). While state governments continue to play a central role in elections today, these new amendments carved out a new—and important—role for the national government in the context of elections and voting.
When examining how the Constitution shapes elections and voting, we must address the following questions:
- What does the Constitution say about voting rights? What’s in there, and what isn’t?
- Who can vote in America (and when)?
- Before the Constitution, who could vote, and which governments controlled elections and voting?
- How did Reconstruction transform voting rights in America? What were its limits?
- Which groups benefited from the 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, and 26th Amendments?
To further explore this topic, download the attached info brief!
