1876 Connecticut Question 6
Referendum repealing requirement of being white to vote
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1876 Connecticut Question 6 was a successful amendment to the 1818 Constitution of the U.S. state of Connecticut that removed the requirement that voters be white. The ballot measure was approved with just over 93% of the vote in favor; all counties voted in favor, and only two municipalities voted against: Bethany and Bridgewater.
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October 2, 1876
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That article eight of the amendments to the constitution be amended by erasing the word 'white' from the first line. | ||||||||||
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Background
In 1845, Connecticut voted on a constitutional amendment which provided that to vote, one had to be a white male citizen who was at least 21 years old, and had to have lived in the state for at least a year, and their town for at least six months, and had to have sustained good moral character. The amendment was approved in a 90.90% to 9.10% vote.[2]
In 1870, with the passage of the 15th amendment, it became unconstitutional in the United States to deny the right to vote to a citizen on the basis of their race, color, or previous condition of servitude.[3] Connecticut ratified the amendment on May 19, 1869, becoming the 15th state to do so.[4] The State House had voted on May 14 to ratify it, and did so in a 126 to 104 vote, with 7 legislators either absent or not voting. All Republicans besides one voted in favor, and all Democrats voted against.[5]
Contents
Results
The amendment was approved by 93% of voters. Individual counties' results ranged from 89.74% to 96.39% in favor.[1]
| County | Yes | No | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | |
| Fairfield | 4,459 | 90.28 | 480 | 9.72 |
| Hartford | 7,986 | 96.39 | 299 | 3.61 |
| Litchfield | 3,054 | 92.41 | 251 | 7.59 |
| Middlesex | 2,306 | 94.90 | 124 | 5.10 |
| New Haven | 5,045 | 92.13 | 431 | 7.87 |
| New London | 3,371 | 91.21 | 325 | 8.79 |
| Tolland | 1,653 | 89.74 | 189 | 10.26 |
| Windham | 2,080 | 93.57 | 143 | 6.43 |
| Total | 29,954 | 93.04 | 2,242 | 6.96[1][6] |