Poll taxes

Poll taxes are fees charged to individuals as a prerequisite for voting in elections. Historically, they were used primarily in the United States, particularly in the South, after the Civil War. The intent was often to disenfranchise poor and minority voters, as many could not afford to pay the tax. Poll taxes contributed to systemic inequalities in the electoral process. In 1964, the 24th Amendment prohibited poll taxes in federal elections, and in 1966, the Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional in state elections as well, recognizing them as a barrier to voting rights.