Provisions
II.1.alternate proposed for 1847 • Qualifications of voters.
REJECTED
The Text
Proposed Constitutional Amendment for 1847:
Colored male citizens, possessing the qualifications required by the first section of this article, other than the property qualification, shall have the right to vote for all officers that now are, or may be, elective by the people after the first day of January 1847.
The full provision would have included both the amendment and the text it amends – NY Constitution 1822, Article II, Section 1, also amended in 1826:
1826 Constitutional Amendment:
Every male citizen of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been an inhabitant of this state one year next preceding any election, and for the last six months a resident of the county where he may offer his vote, shall be entitled to vote in the town or ward where he actually resides, and not elsewhere, for all officers that now are or hereafter may be elective by the people.
1822 Provision:
Every male citizen of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been an inhabitant of this state one year preceding any election, and for the last six months a resident of the town or county where he may offer his vote; and shall have, within the next year preceding the election, paid a tax to the state or county, assessed upon his real or personal property; or shall by law be exempted from taxation; or, being armed and equipped according to law, shall have performed, within that year, military duty in the militia of this state; or who shall be exempted from performing militia duty in consequence of being a fireman in any city, town, or village in this state; and also, every male citizen of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been, for three years next preceding such election, an inhabitant of this state; and, for the last year, a resident in the town or county where he may offer his vote; and shall have been, within the last year, assessed to labor upon the public highways, and shall have performed the labor, or paid an equivalent therefor, according to law, shall be entitled to vote in the town or ward where he actually resides, and not elsewhere, for all officers that now are, or hereafter may be, elective by the people; but no man of colour, unless he shall have been for three years a citizen of this state, and for one year next preceding any election, shall be seized and possessed of a freehold estate of the value of two hundred and fifty dollars, over and above all debts and incumbrances charged thereon; and shall have been actually rated, and paid a tax thereon, shall be entitled to vote at any such election. And no person of colour shall be subject to direct taxation unless he shall be seized and possessed of such real estate as aforesaid.
A Few Facts
• Has 471 words
• Was proposed by the Constitutional Convention
• Went to NYS voters as proposed amendment 2 of 1846
If New Yorkers voted to approve this provision, it would have:
• Joined the Constitution in 1847
• Been in Article II:
• Changed the text of a previously existing provision
• Amended or built on:
◦ 1826-II.1
Credits
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