Suffrage

Suffrage is the civil right to vote, or the exercise of that right. In that context it is also called political franchise or simply the franchise, a term dating from the time when the Franks of ancient France were free.

Suffrage today

Today, in most democracies, the right to vote is granted as a birth right, without discrimination with regard to race, ethnicity, class or gender. Without any qualifying test (such as literacy), citizens or subjects above the voting age in a country can normally vote in its elections. Resident aliens can vote in local elections in some countries and in others exceptions are made for citizens of countries with which they have close links (e.g. some members of the Commonwealth, and the members of the European Union).

Related Topics:
Alien - The Commonwealth - European Union

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It may be surprising that in the US citizens technically lack a constitutional right to vote. This bit of information is misleading however until one understands that under the United States' federal system, individual states administer most issues relating to voting procedure. Several amendments to the federal constitution, however, specifically prohibit states from denying the vote for certain reasons, such as the 15th amendment which says "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Other amendments prohibit states from denying the vote on account of sex or age (for those over age 18).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Interestingly a few groups have attempted to change this system, such as the National Voting Rights Institute, ReclaimDemocracy.org and the Center for Voting and Democracy. In 2003, U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) introduced House Resolution 28 to seek congressional support for a Constitutional Amendment that would address the issue. See also District of Columbia voting rights.

Related Topics:
National Voting Rights Institute - ReclaimDemocracy.org - Center for Voting and Democracy - Jesse Jackson Jr. - District of Columbia voting rights

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~