Disfranchise (Verb)
Meaning
Deprive of voting rights.
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The centuries-old practice of denying voting rights to felons effectively disfranchises thousands of American citizens every year.
- Historically, some laws were enacted to disfranchise African American voters by imposing onerous literacy tests and other barriers to registration.
- In some countries, being mentally ill can disfranchise people, making them unable to participate in elections.
- Lawsuits were filed against the state for allegedly trying to disfranchise thousands of low-income and minority voters through voter ID requirements.
- Critics argued the new law would disfranchise numerous registered voters by moving their polling places to further locations.