Voting in America

How do we vote in the United States?
I can not answer this question.  Why?  Because there are 50 answers to that question. There is an answer for each and every state in the United States. That is because many of the rules, procedures, and laws about voting are left to each individual state to decide.

The States decide who is allowed to vote, how and where citizens can register to vote and what type of voting machines will be used in their state.  

Does that mean the States can do whatever they want?
No, the Federal Government does have a say.  Over the history of the country, the US Congress has passed laws and Amendments to the US Constitution that apply to all of the states.  




What are some of the important Amendments related to voting?
These Amendments don't tell the States who is allowed to vote but they do tell the States who can not be denied the right to vote. 

Here are 3 Amendments. 
15th Amendment passed in 1870- says that US citizens can not be denied because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
19th Amendment passed in 1920- says that citizens can not be denied on account of sex.
26th Amendment passed in 1971- says that anyone over the age of 18 can not be denied the right to vote.