Question

1. the poll tax had been enacted in some southern states to suppress voting by poor african americans. which statement best explains why the twenty-fourth amendment banned the imposition of this tax in elections for president, vice president, and the u.s. congress only?

a. these are the most important elections
b. state and local election rules are set by the states
c. congress has no interest in state and local elections.
d. the poll tax was used only in these elections.

questions 31–32 are based on the following quotation:
“it is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. those who apply the rule to particular cases, must of necessity expound and interpret that rule. if two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each. . . .

thus, the particular phraseology of the constitution of the united states confirms and strengthens the principle, supposed to be essential to all written constitutions, that a law repugnant to the constitution is void; and that courts, as well as other departments, are bound by that instrument.”
—chief justice john marshall, marbury v. madison (1803)

1. what does chief justice marshall mean in saying that “a law repugnant to the constitution is void”?

Explanation:

Question 30

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Labeling some elections as "most important" is subjective and not a constitutional reason for the amendment's scope.
• Option B: In the US, state and local election rules are generally under state authority (reserved powers or Tenth Amendment). The Twenty - Fourth Amendment focused on federal elections (president, vice - president, Congress) because state and local election regulations are set by the states themselves.
• Option C: Congress does have an interest in state and local elections (e.g., through the Voting Rights Act), so this is incorrect.
• Option D: Poll taxes were used in state and local elections too, so this is false.

This quote is from the Marbury v. Madison case which established judicial review. "A law repugnant to the constitution is void" means that if a law (passed by Congress, a state legislature, etc.) goes against the United States Constitution, that law is not valid (has no legal force). The courts have the power to declare such laws unconstitutional (this is judicial review), and all government departments (executive, legislative, and judicial) must follow the Constitution.

Answer:

B. State and local election rules are set by the states

Question 31 (partial answer as the question is about the meaning of "a law repugnant to the constitution is void")