Reply #31: You got me thinking [View All]

[fasttense]

In your last thread you said we have no constitutional Right to Vote for President and Vice President. (I apologize if this was discussed in the last thread but I've been thinking about this all night.)

You are right it is not in the Constitution but it is in the XIV, XV, XIX, XXIV, and the XXVI Amendments to the Constitution. Since 1866 the words "the right to vote" have been used over and over again. This clearly shows that our law makers accepted that we citizens have the right to vote.

In 1866 (ratified 1868) in the XIV Amendment they used the specific language of "the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States." Again in 1962 (ratified 1964) in Amendment XXIV they used the specific language of "The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President." This clearly shows that since 1866, our law makers saw voting for electors for President and Vice President as a right of all US citizens. Perhaps prior to 1868, you could have argued that it was not a constitutional right but after those Amendments were passed and ratified, it's too late to turn back the clock to 1865.

I'm glad I got that off my chest.