A thorough examination of the people, forces, and events that have shaped the right, opportunity, and value of the vote in America from 1715 to the present.

Despite the successful struggles of women, blacks, soldiers, and other minorities to secure suffrage, voter turnout in America is among the lowest in westernized countries. Voting in America: A Reference Handbook surveys the history of voting, examining how it has evolved since Colonial times.



This book focuses on how various legal, constitutional, and social barriers such as the Voter Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, the Motor Voter Act, and the 23rd Amendment have impacted the right to vote. It also focuses on what controversies, such as the two-party monopoly and financial influence, still remain. The only book to consider the rise in voting opportunities for Americans also explores factors affecting the value of the vote, such as redistricting, term limits, and low voter turnout.









Tables include data on voter turnouts for presidential primaries from 1972 to 2000, voter turnouts for presidential elections from 1924 to 2000, and comparisons (in numbers) of voters and nonvoters by election years from 1924 to 2000



A chronology outlines the events, people, court cases, laws, amendments, and practices that have influenced the evolution of voting in America