How has the Supreme Court interpreted the right of citizens to vote under the Fifteenth Amendment?

The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution states that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." The Supreme Court has interpreted this amendment to protect the right of citizens to vote and has ruled in several cases involving the Fifteenth Amendment. In the case of Gomillion v. Lightfoot (1960), the Court held that a law that purposely re-drew city limits to exclude all African Americans violated the Fifteenth Amendment. The Court stated that while the Fifteenth Amendment does not protect a "right to have a particular boundary line of a state or a county remain unchanged," it does protect the right to vote from racial discrimination. In another case, Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966), the Court ruled that a state cannot require a poll tax as a condition of voting, because doing so would discriminate against citizens based on their financial ability to pay the tax. The Court held that such a practice is an unconstitutional violation of the Fifteenth Amendment. The Court has also interpreted the Fifteenth Amendment to ensure that voting procedures respect the rights of all citizens. In Harman v. Forssenius (1965), the Court held that a Virginia law which allowed only those who had paid poll taxes prior to 1964 the right to vote violated the Fifteenth Amendment by unfairly excluding potential voters. The Court has consistently interpreted the Fifteenth Amendment broadly, ensuring that citizens’ right to vote is respected and that the constitutional protections are not narrowed by state actions. As the Court has stated, "The Fifteenth Amendment must not be interpreted narrowly; its protection encompasses any state legislation that alters the election process in a way that favors one race over another.”

Related FAQs

What are the rights of individuals under the Tenth Amendment?
How has the Supreme Court interpreted the rights of citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment?
What is the scope of the contracts clause of the US Constitution?
What is the role of the president in interpreting the US Constitution?
What is constitutional law?
What is the scope of the freedom of contract clause of the US Constitution?
What does the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee?
How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?
How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Second Amendment?
How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Ninth Amendment of the US Constitution?

How has the Supreme Court interpreted the right of citizens to vote under the Fifteenth Amendment?

Related FAQs

Related Blog Posts