Who Has the Right to Vote in America? | Civics Made Easy

In this episode of Civics Made Easy, host Ben Sheehan traces the history of voting rights in the United States. Who has the ability to cast a ballot, and when did they receive this right? How has voter eligibility changed over time? Why do rules differ from state to state? Along the way, Sheehan shares a surprising truth: Americans don’t actually have a constitutional right to vote for president.

About the Author

Passionate about fostering critical thinking and informed citizenship, Mary Kate Lonergan serves as the K-6 social studies curriculum specialist at Fayetteville-Manlius Central Schools. Her previous experience teaching eighth grade social studies, high school world history, and participation in government fuels her commitment to student learning. Lonergan empowers students to critically engage with media and information by making media literacy the throughline of her social studies curriculum. She has developed and implemented media and digital literacy professional development courses and has presented at conferences from the national to local levels. Lonergan is a KQED Media Literacy Innovator, serves as a teacher collaborator with Ithaca College’s Project Look Sharp, and is a faculty member of the Media Education Lab’s Summer Institute in Digital Literacy.