What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 aim to eliminate?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting, which was a significant issue in the United States, particularly in southern states. Prior to the Act, various discriminatory practices such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and other barriers were used to disenfranchise African American voters and other minority groups. This landmark legislation sought to ensure that every American had the right to vote without facing racial discrimination.

The Act not only prohibited the use of discriminatory voting practices but also provided for federal oversight and enforcement of voter registration and election procedures in areas where such discrimination had been prevalent. This was a critical step in the Civil Rights Movement and represented a commitment by the federal government to uphold the voting rights guaranteed by the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.

Other options, while related to broader electoral issues, do not directly pertain to the specific goals of the Voting Rights Act. For instance, voter ID laws have been a contemporary topic of debate but were not a focus of this legislation, and polling locations and campaign finance limits were not central concerns addressed by the Act. This legislation was primarily concerned with dismantling systemic racial barriers to voting.