▁clubs ▁had ▁int im id ated ▁black s ▁or ▁bar red ▁them ▁from ▁the ▁pol ls ▁in ▁numerous ▁elections ▁before ▁what ▁they ▁called ▁the ▁Red em ption ▁( rest oration ▁of ▁white ▁supre m acy ). ▁Non eth eless , ▁a ▁coal ition ▁of ▁Pop ul ists ▁and ▁Republic ans ▁in ▁fusion ▁tick ets ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁gained ▁some ▁seats ▁and ▁won ▁some ▁governor ▁positions . ▁To ▁prevent ▁such ▁coal itions ▁in ▁the ▁future , ▁the ▁Democr ats ▁wanted ▁to ▁exclude ▁fre ed men ▁and ▁other ▁black s ▁from ▁voting ; ▁in ▁some ▁states ▁they ▁also ▁restricted ▁poor ▁whites ▁to ▁avoid ▁b ira cial ▁coal itions . ▁ ▁White ▁Democr ats ▁developed ▁stat utes ▁and ▁passed ▁new ▁constitution s ▁creating ▁restrict ive ▁vot er ▁registration ▁rules . ▁Ex amples ▁included ▁im position ▁of ▁poll ▁tax es ▁and ▁res iden cy ▁and ▁liter acy ▁tests . ▁An ▁exem ption ▁to ▁such ▁requirements ▁was ▁made ▁for ▁all ▁persons ▁allowed ▁to ▁vote ▁before ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁and ▁any ▁of ▁their ▁descend ants . ▁The ▁term ▁grand father ▁clause ▁arose ▁from ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁laws ▁tied ▁the ▁then - current ▁generation ' s ▁voting ▁rights ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁their ▁grand f athers . ▁According ▁to ▁Black ' s ▁Law ▁Dictionary , ▁some ▁Southern ▁states ▁adopted ▁constitution al ▁prov isions ▁ex empt ing ▁from ▁the ▁liter acy ▁requirements ▁descend ants ▁of ▁those ▁who ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁army ▁or ▁n avy ▁of ▁the ▁United