But then here's what I don't understand. Even before the amendments guaranteeing votes for women and blacks, there were some states that allowed that (even for federal elections). North Carolina for example until it was abolished in the early 19th century. Wyoming also had female suffrage before that hated 19th amendment.
Obviously, there is no place where whites can't vote, because that is a violation of the 15th amendment.
I think there is nothing to prevent a state to say that 16-year-olds can vote.
The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
This only says that it guarantees that someone who is 18 or older can vote, not that it mandates that everyone younger cannot.
I don't know. My only thoughts are that any legislature can vote to enact any statute they want on any subject matter, and the respective executive government "can" or will operate within the framework of those statutes until the moment they're successfully challenged in a court with sufficient jurisdiction. But, someone has to sue, and there are suits that are quick and easy due to overwhelming precedent, and suits that aren't so clear that hinge on the headbutting of different precedent and possible new interpretations of constitutional law.
In the cases you mentioned, it's possible that other states would have standing to challenge NC and Wyoming and would have been successful in doing so but chose not to for some reason. I'm not clear on precedent either, but the fact that US states share such uniformity in who gets to vote suggests that precendent has filled in the apparent gaps.
But then here's what I don't understand. Even before the amendments guaranteeing votes for women and blacks, there were some states that allowed that (even for federal elections). North Carolina for example until it was abolished in the early 19th century. Wyoming also had female suffrage before that hated 19th amendment.
Obviously, there is no place where whites can't vote, because that is a violation of the 15th amendment.
I think there is nothing to prevent a state to say that 16-year-olds can vote.
This only says that it guarantees that someone who is 18 or older can vote, not that it mandates that everyone younger cannot.
I don't know. My only thoughts are that any legislature can vote to enact any statute they want on any subject matter, and the respective executive government "can" or will operate within the framework of those statutes until the moment they're successfully challenged in a court with sufficient jurisdiction. But, someone has to sue, and there are suits that are quick and easy due to overwhelming precedent, and suits that aren't so clear that hinge on the headbutting of different precedent and possible new interpretations of constitutional law.
In the cases you mentioned, it's possible that other states would have standing to challenge NC and Wyoming and would have been successful in doing so but chose not to for some reason. I'm not clear on precedent either, but the fact that US states share such uniformity in who gets to vote suggests that precendent has filled in the apparent gaps.