Speaker. on April 6. 1965. I introduced H.R. 7218. a bill to guarantee the right to vote under the 15th amendment to the Constitution of the United States. One of the provisions of my bill provides that the civil service examiner shall. in determining whether a person is qualified to vote under State law. disregard (1) any literacy test if such person has not been adjudged an incompetent and has completed the sixth grade of education in a public school in. or a private school accredited by. any State or territory. the District of Columbia. or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. where instruction is carried on predominantly in the English language. I think it is little enough to require that a person be able to read and write the English language as a requirement for voting. It is not unreasonable to expect a voter not only to be conversant with the issues presented by candidates for election but also to understand the language used in connection with voting.
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literacy test