Final answer:
The states' constitutional right to determine voting qualifications was limited by amendments such as the 15th and 19th, and federal legislation like the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to ensure equitable and fair voter eligibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Limitations on States' Rights to Determine Voting Qualifications::
The constitutional right of the states to determine the qualifications for voting was limited by several amendments and federal legislation. The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited states from denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Later, the 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote, prohibiting denial based on sex. In the civil rights era, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of federal legislation that further restricted states' rights by banning racial discrimination in voting.
In addition to these, other amendments like the 24th Amendment, which abolished poll taxes in 1964, and the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age to 18 in 1971, further limited state powers. These amendments and legislation aimed to ensure that voting rights were equitably and fairly applied to all eligible citizens, regardless of race, gender, or age.