2015 Event The Japanese parliament votes to lower the nation's voting age to 18 from 20; the change will make about 2.4 million people eligible to vote 2014 Event Businessman Petro Poroshenko wins the Ukraine's presidential election; election turnout was strong despite the nation's internal conflicts with separatist groups, who kept many voting locations closed in the eastern part of the country 2013 Event A portion of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protects minority voting rights, is struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, ruling that Congress has not taken into account the nation's racial progress when singling out certain states for federal oversight 2012 Event Voters in Alexandria, Egypt clash during the evening of the second voting session on the highly charged constitutional referendum 2012 Event Egypt's voters go to the polls for a second round of voting in their first presidential election 2012 Event In a third round of voting, the Parliament of Albania fails to elect the President of the Republic of Albania 1992 Event Voting ends on choice of Elvis stamps 1992 Event Voting begins on choice of Elvis postage stamps 1991 Event Switzerland votes on lowering voting age from 20 to 18 1986 Event Senate joins House of Representatives voting for sweeping tax reforms 1982 Event Voting Rights Act of 1965 extended 1982 Event Voting Rights Act of 1965 extended by Senate by 85-8 vote 1971 Event 26th amendment certified, reduces voting age to 18 1971 Event Ohio becomes 38th state to approve of lower voting age to 18, thus ratifying 26th amendment 1971 Event Senate approves amendment lowering voting age to 18 1970 Event President Nixon signs 26th amendment, voting age lowered to 18 1970 Event Baseball All-Star voting is returned to fans 1970 Event U.S. lowers voting age from 21 to 18 1965 Event Federal Voting Rights Act guarantees black voting rights 1965 Event Lyndon Baines Johnson signs Voting Rights Act, guaranteeing voting rights for blacks 1965 Event Dutch Voting Rights Bill passes 1964 Event President Johnson signs Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act into law 1964 Event 24th Amendment to U.S. Constitution goes into effect and states voting rights could not be denied due to failure to pay taxes 1961 Event Martin L. King protests for black voting right in Miami 1959 Event Vatican edict forbids Roman Catholics for voting for communists 1959 Event Swiss males vote against voting rights for women 1950 Event Swiss parliament refuses voting right for women 1944 Event Smith vs. Allwright (excluding Blacks from primary voting) is illegal 1930 Event White woman win voting rights in South Africa 1920 Event Tennessee ratifies 19th Amendment, guarantees women voting right 1919 Event Italy agress to general voting right/proportional representation 1916 Event 40,000 Amsterdam demonstrators demand general voting right 1913 Event Demonstrations for general voting right in Netherlands 1913 Event Belgium begins general strike for voting rights 1910 Event Belgian parliament rejects socialist motion for general voting rights 1907 Event Norway restricts woman's voting rights 1901 Event SDAP demands general voting right/abolishing First Chamber 1899 Event U.S. Congress begins using voting machines 1896 Event 1st U.S. absentee voting law enacted by Vermont 1892 Event New York State unveils automatic ballot booth (voting machine) 1885 Event Dutch demonstrate for general voting right 1872 Event Britain introduces secret ballot voting 1869 Event Voting machine patented by Thomas A. Edison 1631 Event English colony Massachusetts Bay grants puritarian voting right
