What is a poll tax?

A poll tax refers specifically to a fee that a person is required to pay in order to vote. Historically, poll taxes were used as a means to restrict voting rights, particularly targeting low-income individuals and marginalized groups. They were seen as a barrier to voting, as many individuals could not afford to pay the tax, which effectively disenfranchised them.

Policies around poll taxes were prevalent in some states, especially in the South, during the Jim Crow era, where they were implemented alongside other discriminatory practices like literacy tests to evade the protections granted by the 15th Amendment. The 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1964, aimed to eliminate polls taxes in federal elections, and the Supreme Court further invalidated them in state elections through the decision in Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966).

Understanding this concept is crucial when studying the broader impact of voter suppression tactics and the evolution of voting rights in the United States.