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Don’t Forget to Vote (& some Election Law History & Resources @ NYLI)

ByEmily Moog

It’s midterms — both for college students with actual exams — and for our elected officials hoping to receive a passing grade in the form of winning another term in office.

For our New York readers, there is no better guide to voting than the one compiled by our friends at The New York Public Library — click here to access all you need to know about voting in New York…

But voting hasn’t always been easy — and hasn’t always been a right for all Americans…

Way back in 1848…. the first Convention of Woman’s Rights held in Seneca Falls, NY. marking the beginning of the Women’s Rights Movement. American women did not have the right to vote until 1920…..

Post-Civil War amendments granted voting rights to African Americans . Native Americans were not granted voting rights until 1924. Implementation of voting rights for both groups was left up to individual state governments and so it wasn’t until the passage of the Voting Rights Act (1965) that these rights were guaranteed by the Federal government.

For Federal Legislative Histories… and in depth reports on major legislation such as The Voting Rights Act (1965)…. NYLI members need look no further than PQ Congressional ….
Definitions of “de jure” and “de facto”–important distinctions!– are in Black’s Law Dictionary… & yes, all editions of Black’s are available @ NYLI….

Election procedures and results can still be a matter of litigation…& so you may want to check out….

Goldfeder’s Modern Election Law… now in its 7th Edition...available in NYLI’s extensive print collection!

This November… be sure to exercise your constitutional right to vote....

...(& , if you aren’t a member of NYLI….consider joining … for more membership info.. click here .

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