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:Sir, is that statement correct?  Women were granted the right to vote by the 18th amendment to the constitution.  I'm no American so perhaps I'm wrong but if someone isn't on the electoral roll, how could they possibly stand for office.[[user:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]]

:Sir, is that statement correct?  Women were granted the right to vote by the 18th amendment to the constitution.  I'm no American so perhaps I'm wrong but if someone isn't on the electoral roll, how could they possibly stand for office.[[user:DamianJohn|DamianJohn]]

::Good question. It was actually the Nineteenth Amendment that allowed women the right to vote in 1920, and many African-Americans couldn't vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Before the American Civil War, only a few New England states allowed blacks an equal right to vote. Illinois and Indiana had laws excluding free blacks from their states. Other free states excluded blacks from skilled occupations and wouldn't allow them to serve on juries.[[User:Pluto|Pluto]] 23:13, 2 July 2008 (EDT)

::Good question. It was actually the Nineteenth Amendment that allowed women the right to vote in 1920, and many African-Americans couldn't vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Before the American Civil War, only a few New England states allowed blacks an equal right to vote. Illinois and Indiana had laws excluding free blacks from their states. Other free states excluded blacks from skilled occupations and wouldn't allow them to serve on juries.[[User:Pluto|Pluto]] 23:13, 2 July 2008 (EDT)