Question

Read this passage from the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

The Congress finds that the requirement of the payment of
a poll tax as a precondition to voting (precludes persons
of limited means from voting or imposes unreasonable
financial hardship upon such persons as a precondition to
their exercise of the franchise, (ii) does not bear a
reasonable relationship to any legitimate State interest in
the conduct of elections, and (iii) in some areas has the
purpose or effect of denying persons the right to vote
because of race or color. Upon the basis of these findings,
Congress declares that the constitutional right of citizens
to vote is denied or abridged in some areas by the
requirement of the payment of a poll tax as a precondition
to voting."

According to this excerpt, what situation did the Voting Rights Act make
illegal?

A. Asking voters to pay to vote

B. Intimidating people so that they don't vote

C. Denying African Americans under 21 the right to vote

D. Identifying a voter's race on voter registration forms

Answer 1

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 made it illegal to ask voters to pay a poll tax as a precondition to voting, aimed at ensuring all citizens could exercise their right to vote without facing financial discrimination.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the passage from the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the situation made illegal was A. Asking voters to pay to vote, known as a poll tax. The excerpt clearly states that Congress found poll taxes unreasonable and a means to prevent persons of limited means, particularly African Americans, from exercising their right to vote. Imposing a financial burden as a precondition to voting did not align with any legitimate state interest in conducting elections and often had the discriminatory impact of denying voting rights based on race or color. Therefore, this legislation aimed to remove such barriers to ensure the constitutional right to vote was accessible to all citizens, regardless of their economic status or race.