Voting rights are a fundamental part of democracy. They enable individuals to hold their leaders accountable and safeguard other human rights, including freedom from discrimination and access to education.
The fight for voting rights is deeply entwined with the fight for civil rights, as evidenced by a long history of state and local discriminatory practices. In the 19th and 20th centuries, literacy tests, poll taxes, religious tests, and other state-level provisions denied citizens the franchise to vote. This practice was often based on race, and was used in a system of racial segregation.
In the 1960s, activists won a major victory by lowering the voting age to eighteen. This was especially important to young men being drafted into the military, as it allowed them to have a voice in choosing the leaders they were sent to fight for. A few states still disenfranchise felons, but most restore their voting rights after completion of their sentence.
Since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, states have enacted laws that make it harder for many people to vote. These include voter ID requirements, purging of voter lists, and gerrymandering, which disproportionately affect people of color and those in low-income communities. The ACLU is working to stop these laws and restore the right to vote for all Americans.