Voting Restrictions
By: Brittnay Smith
Although the Civil War brought about many changes in the nation, some states were still biased when it came to politics. Before 1870, there many laws were passed with the intent on restricting certain people or races from voting; most created or implemented by Southern administrations and although all races had the right to vote, the South did not wish for African-Americans, Mexican-American, or certain whites to vote. However, after the ratification of the 14th and 15th amendments, minority races had a better chance to vote in federal elections, yet this did not impede the South’s attempts.
The literacy tests, formally introduced in 1890, refers to state government practice of administering tests to prospective voters to test their literacy and determine their eligibility to vote. The tests were usually administered orally by white local officials; most questions concerned areas that mostly non-whites would not know. Alabama’s literacy test questions that were given to African Americans included naming all 67 county states judges in the state, the date Oklahoma was admitted into the Union, and stating how many bubbles were in a bar of soap. In light of this, the Supreme Court held that the literacy tests did not violate the 14th nor 15th amendment –but after a series of cases the Supreme Court restricted the use of the literacy test for non-English speaking citizens. Nevertheless, The Voting Rights Act of 1965 suspended the use of literary tests in all states or political subdivisions. Poll taxes were created as a source of government revenue. It was a tax of a proportioned, fixed amount applied to an individual in accordance with the census as opposed to a percentage of income. However, the poll tax soon became a precondition to exercise the ability to vote. Since, by this time, most African-American did not own their own land nor earn much money, it was almost impossible to pay the poll tax; effectively excluding African-Americans and most poor whites. Most poor whites, however, gained an advantage over African Americans with the Grandfather Cause.
The Grandfather Clause is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply in certain cases while in others a new rule will apply. In regards to voting laws, the only ones exempt have ‘grandfather rights’ or ‘acquired rights.’ This means that citizens whose grandfathers had voted automatically gain the right to vote. This constitutional devise was enacted by some Southern states to ensure that those who had enjoyed the right to vote prior to the new laws, or their descendants, would be excluded from the education, property, or tax requirements for voting; preventing many African Americans, Mexican Americans, and illiterate whites to vote. As a result, in 1915, the Supreme Court declared the Grandfather Clause unconstitutional for violating the 15th amendment.