Time Traveling through Voting History Make sure you have your ticket and please move to the two non- windowed walls that are not in the front of the room

Time Traveling through Voting

HistoryMake sure you have your ticket and

please move to the two non-windowed walls that are not in the

front of the room.

TodayWelcome to the 21 st century!Ipod

Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Beyblades

Everyone with umbrella stickers may return to their

seat as we get ready to time-

travel through voting history

In 1971, the 26th Amendment is ratified.

• Before this time, males could be drafted to serve in the military at age 18 but could not vote for the president who is Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Women under 21 couldn’t vote either.

18 Now you too can vote!

I’d like everyone to remain standing unless your ticket is graced with a dove sticker

as we hop back in voting history

In 1964, the 24th amendment makes it illegal to charge poll taxes in order

to be allowed to vote.• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 forbids literacy tests and

other barriers to registration that have restricted minority access to voting– Grandfather clauses (if your grandfather voted in past

elections than you can vote) had been ruled unconstitutional 60 years earlier since most grandfathers of most African-American men had been slaves and unable to vote.

– Another means to stop African-Americans from voting was to require property-ownership.

I’d like everyone to remain standing unless you have a double balloon sticker but please don’t sit down just

yet.

Those of you seated will not be joined by everyone with a double balloon sticker because they will move to the counter by the windows please.

Disenfranchised African-Americans• Poll taxes• Education requirements*• Literacy tests*• Grandfather clause (grandfather or father had to have voted

prior to January 1, 1867 – none had been allowed to vote at that time)

• Property ownership• Residency requirements

*some were subjective (registrar decided) so whites would pass while blacks would fail

States determine voting requirements and can change those requirements through changes to the state’s constitution.

If you have a double balloon sticker with a #1, please sit

downas we hop back a little

further in voting historyThose of you seated will not be joined by everyone with a double balloon sticker because they will move to the counter by the windows please.

In 1961, the 23rd Amendment is ratified.

• Before this time, if you lived in the District of Columbia, you could not vote in the presidential election. Ironically, the President resides in Washington, DC during his time in office!

I’d like everyone to remain standing unless your ticket is graced with a tulip stickeras we skip back a little way

in voting history

In 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act declares all non-citizen Indians

born within the US to be citizens giving them the right to vote.

• But many states still bar many NA’s from voting until 1948

I’d like everyone to remain standing unless your ticket

is graced with a double clouds sticker

as we skitter back in voting history


• Before this time, if you were female then you could run a home and raise a family but you could not vote in the presidential elections. “A woman’s place is in the home!”


is graced with a butterfly sticker

as we leap back 50 years in voting history


• This is the amendment that made it legal for African-Americans to vote. It follows the 13th amendment that abolished (ended) slavery and the 14th amendment which guarantees equal protection under the law.


is graced with a double balloon sticker

as we leap back 50 years in voting history

In 1856, North Carolina becomes the last state to do away with property ownership

rules.

• With this, all white men who are citizens are able to vote (unless convicted of certain crimes)


is graced with a rainbow star sticker

as we arrive at the beginning of our government and it’s

voting history

In 1789, white male property owners of the correct religious persuasion (based

on state requirements) voted in the first Presidential election.

• George Washington wins the election and John Adams comes in second place and is appointed as Vice-President.

38,818 people voted in the election. Less than 1.3% of the population based on the 1790 census that counted a total population of 3.0 million (2.4 million free /600,000 slaves)

I’d like everyone to remain standing unless your ticket is graced with a sun sticker

and a #2.

Look around the room.Those people standing would vote for the first President of the United

States of America and everyone sitting down did not have a voice!• Let’s quickly fast forward and increase the

amount of people who have the right to have their voices heard! Stand as I call your stickers please.

Please stand if you have the following sticker:

• Sun


• Sun• Rainbow Star


• Sun• Rainbow Star• Double Balloon with a #2


• Sun• Rainbow Star• Double Balloon with a #2• Butterfly


• Sun• Rainbow Star• Double Balloon with a #2• Butterfly• Double Clouds with Rainbow


• Sun• Rainbow Star• Double Balloon with a #2• Butterfly• Double Clouds with Rainbow• Tulip


• Sun• Rainbow Star• Double Balloon with a #2• Butterfly• Double Clouds with Rainbow• Tulip• All Double Balloons


• Sun• Rainbow Star• Double Balloon with a #2• Butterfly• Double Clouds with Rainbow• Tulip• All Double Balloons• Doves

We have time-traveled through voting history and back!

I hope you enjoyed the trip and have learned a lot about who can vote and what has taken place so that so many of our

citizens have the right to cast a ballot in presidential elections.

To recap “voting in the USA”:

• The Constitution does not guarantee a person the right to vote; only that Representatives must be chosen “by the people”

• Phrases, clauses, and amendments outline ways in which the right to vote cannot be denied.

• States decide who qualifies to vote.• As long as the qualifications do not conflict with

anything in the Constitution, the right to vote can be withheld.

• To register to vote in the State of New Hampshire, an individual must meet the following qualifications: –Be a citizen of the United States –Be at least 18 years of age –Have a permanent established

domicile in the State of New Hampshire –Not having been denied the right to

vote by reason of a felony conviction

• [Art.] 11. [Elections and Elective Franchises.] All elections are to be free, and every inhabitant of the state of 18 years of age and upwards shall have an equal right to vote in any election. Every person shall be considered an inhabitant for the purposes of voting in the town, ward, or unincorporated place where he has his domicile. No person shall have the right to vote under the constitution of this state who has been convicted of treason, bribery or any willful violation of the election laws of this state or of the United States; but the supreme court may, on notice to the attorney general, restore the privilege to vote to any person who may have forfeited it by conviction of such offenses. The general court shall provide by law for voting by qualified voters who at the time of the biennial or state elections, or of the primary elections therefor, or of city elections, or of town elections by official ballot, are absent from the city or town of which they are inhabitants, or who by reason of physical disability are unable to vote in person, in the choice of any officer or officers to be elected or upon any question submitted at such election. Voting registration and polling places shall be easily accessible to all persons including disabled and elderly persons who are otherwise qualified to vote in the choice of any officer or officers to be elected or upon any question submitted at such election. The right to vote shall not be denied to any person because of the non-payment of any tax. Every inhabitant of the state, having the proper qualifications, has equal right to be elected into office.

• June 2, 1784Amended 1903 to provide that in order to vote or be eligible for office a person must be able to read the English language and to write.Amended 19l2 to prohibit those convicted of treason, bribery or willfull violation of the election laws from voting or holding elective office.Amended 1942 to provide for absentee voting in general elections.Amended 1956 to provide for absentee voting in primary elections.Amended 1968 to provide right to vote not denied because of nonpayment of taxes. Also amended in 1968 to delete an obsolete phrase.Amended 1976 to reduce voting age to 18.Amended 1984 to provide accessibility to all registration and polling places.

Source: http://www.nh.gov/constitution/billofrights.html

Evolution of Voting in the US• 1788 – white male property owners over 21 who are not prohibited by state

rules can vote• By 1856 property ownership rules are removed from state rules • 1859 – 15th amendment says that African-American males cannot be denied

(solely because of race) the right to vote• 1920 – 19th amendment grants women the right to vote• 1924 – Indian Citizenship Act declares Native Americans are citizens and have

the right to vote• 1961 – Residents of the District of Columbia are permitted to vote in

presidential elections.• 1964 – 24th amendment eliminates poll taxes • 1965 – Voting Rights Act removes barriers that kept African Americans from

being allowed to vote• 1971 – 26th amendment changes minimum age from 21 to 18.

Notes:• Sun stickers will represent those people in our country who are white male property-

owners but #2 are prohibited from voting based on other criteria such as being Catholic, Quaker, Jewish, etc.

• Rainbow Star stickers will represent those people in our country who were not property-holders but otherwise eligible to vote. Lack of property meant they could not vote.

• Double Balloon with a #2 stickers will represent those people in our country who are African-American and therefore are not allowed to vote.

• Butterfly stickers will represent women who could bring forth life and raise citizens and future voters but who couldn’t help elect who ran the country.

• Double Clouds with Rainbow stickers will represent Native Americans who until 1924 could only gain citizenship and possibly voting rights by giving up their tribal affiliations and assimilating into white society

• Tulip stickers will represent those people living in Washington, DC who could not vote in presidential elections.

• Double Balloons #1 stickers will represent those people in our country who are African-American and should be able to participate in presidential elections but either through state legislation, intimidation, or other means are discouraged or not allowed to vote.

• Doves stickers will represent those people in our country between the ages of 18 and 21. • Umbrella stickers will represent those people in our country who still can not vote in

presidential elections. This includes convicted felons in many states, prison inmates, illegal aliens, people in the country legally but not citizens of the US, and US citizens that live in US possessions such as Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

Documents

Time Traveling through Voting History Make sure you have your ticket and please move to the two non- windowed walls that are not in the front of the room