Expanded Suffrage

Historical Developments: The nation’s transition to a more participatory democracy was achieved by expanding suffrage from a system based on property ownership to one based on voting by all adult white men, and the growth of political parties accompanied it.

Old cultural rules and new laws denied the vote to most women and free African American men.  When women and free African Americans sought voting rights amidst the latest expansion of voting rights to poorer white men, legislators wrote explicit race and gender restrictions into state constitutions.  These exclusions often covered not just voting, but also serving on juries and running for public office.

It should be noted, that in the earliest elections, electors for president had been chosen by state legislatures. But by 1828, all but two states were choosing electors for president through a popular vote. Therefore, not only were more white males allowed to vote, but that vote also had a direct effect on the outcome of presidential elections.

Sources:

Skier, S. "Expanding Democracy" https://teachingsocialstudies.org/2020/02/18/expanding-democracy-jacksonian-democracy-white-mens-democracy/

MMMS (11/13/09) "Lesson 1: 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Expansion of the Voting Base" https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/lesson-1-1828-campaign-andrew-jackson-expansion-voting-base