The contemporary Poll Tax Hundreds of thousands of Americans are being denied the suitable to vote because they are poor. In nine states,Republican legislators have enacted laws that disenfranchise anyone with outstanding legal fees or court fines. For example, in Alabama more than 100000 people who owe money – roughly 3 percent of the states voting-age population – have been struck from voting rolls. This is unconstitutional. In 1964, and the 24th amendment abolished the poll tax,a Jim Crow tactic used to bar poor blacks from voting. These contemporary laws are a contemporary reincarnation of that unconstitutional system, disproportionately disenfranchising people of color. Income and wealth should have no bearing on the suitable to vote. Many Americans are struggling to acquire ends meet. But they still have a constitutional suitable to acquire their voices heard.
Preventing people from voting because they owe legal fees or court fines muzzle low-income Americans at a time in our nation’s history when the rich have more political power than ever. These state laws are another form of voter suppression – like gerrymandering, or voter ID requirements,and bars on anyone with felony convictions from voting. We must not let them stand.
Source: robertreich.org