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The 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution, Section 1, reads as follows:
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax."
This was vital, as prior to the 24th Amendment, poll taxes as well as 'reading tests' were used to discriminate against citizens, by restricting their rights based on socioeconomic status. In order to vote, a citizen would be required to pay a poll tax. The poll taxes were enacted by more powerful leaders with a higher socioeconomic status, who used them to deny minorities and the poor the right to vote. Thus, only the well-to-do could afford to vote (the poor would have had to choose between voting and buying food). So, only the needs of the wealthy and powerful were represented by government.
More recently, there have been constitutional challenges brought against municipalities that require photo identification in order for a person to vote. Clearly, there is a need to ensure that only citizens permitted to vote do so. However, according to the framers of these constitutional challenges, the potentially prohibitive cost for a government-issued identification (among other points) can be viewed as a prohibitively expensive poll tax -- the state of Florida, for example, charges an unbelievable $48 to renew a driver license. In most municipalities only a voter registration card is required to vote, and these are provided (and or replaced) without charge by the supervisor of elections.
Alternately, and equally frightening, would be the potential for the 'other taxes' mentioned by the 24th Amendment to prohibit an individual from voting. Imagine the results if delinquent property taxes or miscalculated income taxes could prohibit a person from voting? Congress could be free to impose heavy taxes on the populace, who could not find relief from their elected representatives... because they could no longer vote sympathetic representatives into office; the result would be a government of the rich, rather than of the people.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIt was the Poll tax.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoThe Poll Tax.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoPoll taxes in federal elections.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoeverything ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Wiki User
∙ 13y agopoll taxes
good luck :)
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Ratified in 1964 the twenty four amendment outlawed this in national elections?
Ratified in 1964, the 24th amendment outlawed poll tax in national elections.
voting and the twenty fourth amendment ?
After the Civil War, some southern states created poll taxes — or fees charged in order to vote — as a way to bypass the Fifteenth Amendment. Since many African American citizens could not afford to pay the tax, they were unable to vote. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment outlawed poll taxes in federal elections.
What southern state refused to ratify the Twenty-fourth Amendment?
what state refused the twenty fourth amendment
The 24th amendment abolished what?
The Twenty-fourth Amendment (Amendment XXIV) prohibits both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax.
What prohibited poll taxes?
Twenty-fourth Amendment
Why was the twenty fourth amendment important?
The twenty-fourth amendment is important because it lets you vote for the president and vice president without having to pay any taxes.
What did the twenty fourth amendment to the constituting prohibit?
Poll Taxes
What was prohibited under the the twenty-fourth amendment?
Poll taxes -NovaNET
Which amendment ended the policy of charging people a tax before they could vote?
Twenty-fourth Amendment
which constitutional amendment expanded the right to vote?
twenty-fourth nineteenth Fifthteenth
Which amendment made poll taxes illegal?
The Twenty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution made poll taxes illegal. =)
What did twenty fourth amendment to the constitution change about voteing?
It prohibited poll taxes.
