Final answer:
Under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, initially voting was not available until a territory reached a population of 5,000 white adult males, at which point a legislature could be elected by the eligible white male population.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, the rules for when you could vote were based on the population of white adult males within a territory. Initially, if a territory had fewer than 5,000 white adult males, it was governed by a governor and a three-judge panel appointed by Congress. However, once the population reached between 5,000 and 60,000 white adult males, a legislature could be elected by all white males, providing the opportunity to vote, with a governor still appointed by Congress. It was when the territory’s population exceeded 60,000 that it could draft a constitution, abolish slavery within its domain as per the Ordinance stipulations, endorse religious freedom, and apply for statehood.