What kind of schools your children go to, what kind of medical care you can get, how much it costs to heat and cool your home, the quality of our streets and highways, and if crime is a problem in your neighborhood are all determined by elected officials at the local, state, and national levels. Your vote is your voice and is how you can make sure that government works for you.
The right to vote is guaranteed by the Constitution and by a series of constitutional amendments, including the Twenty-fourth Amendment which eliminated poll taxes, the Fifteenth Amendment which ensured that women were granted voting rights, the Nineteenth Amendment which made it possible for Americans with disabilities to be allowed to vote, the Twenty-sixth Amendment which lowered the voting age to 18 years old, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which outlawed literacy tests and other restrictions that discriminated against voters by race or ethnicity. The Act also required that localities with a history of discrimination in voting submit potential rules to the federal government for preclearance and barred them from changing their voting laws at will.
The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice enforces the civil provisions of these laws, and many others that protect voting rights. In addition, the Division helps to promote accessible and inclusive elections by supporting programs such as:
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