Poll taxes are a form of what barrier to voting?

• A. Economic barrier
• B. Literacy test barrier
• C. Residency requirement
• D. Age restriction

Answer: (A)

Poll taxes create an economic barrier to voting by requiring a monetary fee to cast a ballot. This ties access to the vote to a voter’s ability to pay, which can exclude those with limited financial resources and historically targeted poorer citizens. That makes it an economic obstacle rather than a test of literacy, a residency rule, or an age requirement. Literacy tests measure reading ability, residency requirements restrict where you can vote based on where you live, and age restrictions set the minimum age to vote. In U.S. history, poll taxes were part of efforts to suppress turnout among disadvantaged groups, and they were eventually struck down as unconstitutional—first in federal elections by the 24th Amendment and later in state elections in Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections.