The Twenty-fourth Modification to the US Structure, ratified in 1964, outlawed the ballot tax as a prerequisite for voting in federal elections. This meant that residents might not be denied the suitable to vote just because they may not afford to pay a charge. Previous to its ratification, ballot taxes have been utilized in some states, significantly within the South, as a discriminatory measure to disenfranchise impoverished voters, a lot of whom have been African People.
Eliminating the ballot tax considerably expanded voting rights and facilitated better participation within the democratic course of for all residents, no matter financial standing. This modification performed an important function within the Civil Rights Motion, eradicating a considerable barrier to African American suffrage and empowering marginalized communities to train their basic proper to vote. It marked a essential step in the direction of a extra inclusive and equitable electoral system in the US.