Introduction
The Twenty-Third Amendment, which was passed in 1960, can be discussed as a major milestone for the United States. It was the first amendment to the Constitution in over a century to change the structure of the federal government. The Amendment addressed the issue of representation in the Electoral College and the political power of citizens living in the District of Columbia (“Amdt23.1 Overview”). The purpose of this essay is to discuss the subject and goal of the amendment, the circumstances leading to the ratification, possible opposition, and adoption.
The Subject and Purpose of the Amendment
The main subject of the Twenty-Third Amendment is the representation of citizens in the Electoral College. The amendment was designed to give the citizens of the District of Columbia representation in the Electoral College. It is important to note that prior to the amendment, citizens living in the District of Columbia had no representation in the Electoral College and were not able to vote in presidential elections (“Our Constitution: Twenty-Third Amendment (1961)”). The amendment sought to rectify this issue by giving the District of Columbia the same representation that each State has in the Electoral College. Specifically, the amendment gives the District of Columbia three electoral votes, which is equivalent to the number of electoral votes given to the least populous State.
Circumstances Leading to Adoption and Ratification
The circumstances that led to the adoption and ratification of the Twenty-Third Amendment were largely driven by the civil rights movement. In the early 1960s, the civil rights movement was gaining momentum, and citizens in the District of Columbia were becoming more vocal about the lack of representation in the Electoral College (Baker and Francois). This spurred a movement to pass a constitutional amendment that would give the District of Columbia the same representation as every other State.
Opposition
Although the amendment was passed by Congress with overwhelming support, there were some who opposed it. Critics argued that the amendment violated the principle of state sovereignty because it gave the District of Columbia representation in the Electoral College, even though it was not a state (“Our Constitution: Twenty-Third Amendment (1961)”). Despite the opposition, the amendment was ratified by the necessary number of states and became part of the Constitution in 1961.
Adoption Date of the Amendment
The Amendment was passed on June 16, 1960, and was soon ratified as part of the Constitution. To fulfill the Constitution’s Article V, which required the ratification of Amendments by 75% of the States, the Twenty-Third Amendment had to be approved by at least 38 States (Baker and Francois). Ohio became the thirty-eight State to approve the Twenty-Third Amendment on March 29, 1961. Within half a year, Congress enacted Public Law No. 87-389, which established the principles of the presidential election in the District of Columbia (Baker and Francois). After the ratification process, two more states supported the Twenty-Third Amendment.
Conclusion
It is possible to conclude that the Twenty-Third Amendment was a major milestone for the United States. It was the first amendment to the Constitution in more than a hundred years to change the structure of the federal government. The amendment addressed the issue of representation in the Electoral College and the political power of citizens living in the District of Columbia. Thus, it became a testament to the progress of the civil rights movement.
Works Cited
“Amdt23.1 Overview of Twenty-Third Amendment, District of Columbia Electors.” Constitution Annotated: Analysis and Interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, n.d., Web.
Baker, John S., and Aderson Bellegarde Francois. “The Twenty-Third Amendment.” National Constitution Center, n.d., Web.
“Our Constitution: Twenty-Third Amendment (1961).” Annenberg Classroom, n.d., Web.