‘Voting and Elections’ Archives
The Long Struggle for Voting Rights
By THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MINNESOTA “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”-The United States Declaration of Independence, 1776 On July 4, 1776, the leaders of the American Revolution declared independence from Great Britain and boldly proclaimed that “all men are created equal”. Yet its promise of equality sharply contrasted with voting rights to which only white male property owners were entitled. Since those beginnings, the long struggle to expand voting rights and secure equal representation in pursuit of the nation’s ideals has unfolded. Grounded in First Amendment rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, and petition, individuals and movements have advanced voting rights to create a more inclusive democracy. Yet each advance has been met with persistent and powerful opposition that has [...]
