elections and voting
one of the most important rights of american citizens is the franchise—the right to vote. originally under the constitution, only white male citizens over the age of twenty-one were eligible to vote. this shameful injustice has been corrected and voting rights have been extended several times over the course of our history. today, citizens over the age of eighteen cannot be denied the right to vote, regardless of race, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation. however, in every state except north dakota, citizens must register to vote, and laws regarding the registration process vary by state.

the path to full voting rights for all american citizens was long and often challenging. . the fifteenth amendment is specifically dedicated to protecting the right of all citizens to vote, regardless of their race.

for practical purposes, this was not the end of the voting rights struggle for african americans. .

women were denied the right to vote until 1920, when the nineteenth amendment was passed. prior to that, women had only been able to vote in select states.

federal elections occur every two years, on the first tuesday after the first monday in november. every member of the house of representatives and about one-third of the senate is up for reelection in any given election year. a presidential election is held every fourth year.

federal elections are administered by state and local governments, although the specifics of how elections are conducted differ between the states. the constitution and laws of the united states grant the states wide latitude in how they administer elections.

source: "elections & voting," the white house: public domain, 2014

how would you cite information from this article in an informational text of your own?