| Registration
Who Can Vote?
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Yanker
Poster Collection–Don’t Cop Out: Register,
then Vote
Source:
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division,
[reproduction number LC-USZC4-3847] |
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Anyone who thinks voting does not matter
does not have a very strong understanding of the nature of
a democracy. Voting has been the foundation of America since
its birth. If the Founders had not been so ambitious in their
hopes for this country, we might be driving on the left side
of the road and speaking with British accents! Something as
simple as voting for more stop signs in your neighborhood
really means exercising your freedom of choice.
During colonial times, voting was
not as wide-spread a right as it is today. Not many people
enjoyed the privilege. Only white men who owned property were
given the responsibility of electing their leaders, while
women, African Americans, Native Americans, and white men
who did not own property were kept from having a say.
All of that changed with the addition of
the Fifteenth Amendment
and Nineteenth Amendment [link to glossary]to the United States
Constitution. Many more people gained the right to vote when
the grandfather clause,
literacy tests, and
poll taxes were outlawed.
The most recent extension of voting rights came as the 26th
Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
What Do I Do In Order To Vote?
There are a few other factors to consider
before you can cast your first vote. We’ve already established
that you must be at least 18 years old, but you also must
be a resident of the state in which you wish to vote and a
citizen of the United States. Any potential voter must register
with the government in order that he or she wants to become
a voter. Registering to vote is easy and you can do it in
a variety of places (though some of these ways are not available
in every state). Registration applications can be picked up
from county offices, or you can register by mail, at public
libraries or schools, or at several state offices and agencies.
The National Voter Registration Act, also known as the Motor
Voter Act, allows people to register to vote when they renew
their driver’s licenses. At the time of registry you
may decide to register as a Democrat, a Republican, unaffiliated,
or as a member of another party. Registering as a Democrat
or Republican will enable you to vote in that party’s
primary elections. When
you register to vote for the very first time, you must show
proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate or driver’s
license.
Okay, you meet all of the qualifications
and have successfully registered. Now let’s vote!
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