Promise
Allow discriminatory voting restrictions to stand under federal constitutional review
McKinley is tracked as delivered because, during his presidency, the federal constitutional order permitted discriminatory voting restrictions to remain in force, reinforcing state disfranchisement systems without implying that McKinley personally caused the Court's decision.
President
William McKinley
Status
Delivered
Topic
Voting Rights / Disenfranchisement
Actions
1
Outcomes
1
Impact Context
Documented outcome directions: Negative.
Promise Text
During William McKinley's presidency, the federal legal posture toward voting rights narrowed further when Williams v. Mississippi upheld voter-registration and election rules that were administered in racially discriminatory ways, helping states preserve Black disfranchisement while avoiding an explicit racial classification on the face of the law.
Evidence and Linked Records
Williams v. Mississippi
Policy • Court Case
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Sources
Library of Congress • Government
Mississippi Encyclopedia / Center for the Study of Southern Culture, University of Mississippi • Academic