The 23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on March 29, 1961. It granted residents of Washington, D.C. the right to vote in presidential elections, effectively granting them the same rights as citizens of the states. This amendment was a response to the lack of representation for residents of Washington D.C. in the federal government and the denial of their right to vote, despite paying federal taxes. The amendment was proposed by Congress on June 16, 1960 and was ratified by the required number of states within less than a year.