Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966) targeted which practice in state elections?

• A. Poll taxes
• B. Literacy tests
• C. Residency requirements
• D. Voter ID laws

Answer: (A)

Wealth-based restrictions on voting are unconstitutional because they treat citizens differently based on money rather than on their qualifications as voters. In Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966), the Supreme Court ruled that requiring payment of a poll tax to vote in state elections violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court explained that wealth is not a legitimate or fair measure of a person’s fitness to vote, and requiring payment effectively disenfranchises poorer citizens, undermining equal access to the ballot. This decision extended the federal ban on poll taxes in federal elections (via the 24th Amendment) to state elections, reinforcing the principle that all citizens must have an equal opportunity to participate in elections regardless of income.