Why was the right to vote given to people who do not own land?

Question

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_vote#Wealth.2C_Tax_class.2C_Social_class

http://www.aclu.org/votingrights/gen/12999res20050304.html

I read that New Hampshire was the first state to eliminate property ownership requirements for voting.

Do you believe people should have the right to vote when they do not pay any taxes or have a personal investment of property in their city or country.

Answer 1

Everyone pays taxes.  If you are renting, some of your rent money goes to the landlord's taxes.  Whenever you purchase something you are paying taxes.

Answer 2

If you are a citizen of this country and you pay taxes you should be guaranteed the right to vote. I don't think weather you own property or not should have any bearing on the right to vote.

Answer 3

Come on now. Nobody owns land. That's right I didn't stutter. Nobody owns land. Granted you can have the title to the land but if you don't pay your property taxes then see how fast that land gets taken.

Therefore since nobody actually owns land nobody should have the right to vote. But as we have seen it doesn't matter in the long run. Vote for a candidate and if the Electoral College doesn't agree they don't win.

So where exactly where you going with this?

Answer 4

any citizen over 18 should be allowed to vote. it would be nearly impossible to track down all voters owning land. a lot of voters are renters. they deserve to be heard as well.

Answer 5

It is every U.S. citizen's responsibility to vote. If you rent property you still pay property taxes. It is added into the rent.

Answer 6

The property requirement was part of a mentality by the founders that wanted the intellectual elite running the country.  Jefferson was a big supporter of this and proposed education was built around this principle.  If the individual was a property owner then they had generally achieved a base level of schooling.  As well, property ownership guaranteed-for a period-that foreign nationals did not place themselves in positions of power in the newly formed country (the 35 year old natural citizen as a requirement for presidency  is a relic of this thinking).

Answer 7

That's a state issue.

I personally think you should pass a logic test to be able to vote and be able to speak and read English. And most importantly have a photo ID and get an indelible mark once voted.

Answer 8

If you have or have had a job and are in this country legally, you paid taxes, even if your state had no property or sales taxes.  People have the right to vote to say how that money ought to be spent / invested.

Answer 9

even if you dont own land you work and pay taxes and are therefore in the right to vote. If you are a US citizen, you have the right to vote. If you are over the age of 18 you have the right to vote. It is your duty as a citizen and I think if you are so lazy you dont want to, then you should lose your right.  

Answer 10

Folks that rent help pay the property taxes also!!!