<P> Voter turnout was particularly low in the first election . Experts estimate that only 1.8 - 6 % of the population participated . This was not due to a general lack of interest in the election , but rather a general lack of voting status . There were many restrictions put on potential voters , reducing the pool of would - be voters to a mere fraction of the population . The eligible voting population was primarily made up of white , male landowners , most of whom were educated . Of the people who could potentially vote , few knew anything of running candidates due to the inability to communicate to masses of people during the 18th century , generally making informed voting nearly impossible . Those who were of a different religion or without property were considered unfit to vote due to the idea that they could be easily swayed for one candidate or another , or had the possibility of creating detrimental factions in opposition to the government . The average person was considered uneducated , which included women , slaves , non citizens , indentured servants , and individuals younger than the age of 21 . The qualities of a voter that were considered essential for a voter fit the characteristics of a `` gentleman , '' as property owners were considered to have a `` stake in society , '' deeming them independent and morally adept enough to be considered responsible voters . Voting eligibility varied from colony to colony , such as in Virginia and Connecticut which required a man to acquire a larger amount of property in order to hold different positions in office . The most common form of determining eligibility was the `` forty pound rule '' , a common English practice that requires of voters to own forty pounds worth of land or receive a 5 percent return on the owned land . These eligible voter restrictions were made more inclusive with the later passage of the 15th amendment that removed racial affiliation as an eligible voter characteristic , and with the 19th amendment in 1920 , which allowed for the suffrage of women . </P>
<P> Voter turnout was particularly low in the first election . Experts estimate that only 1.8 - 6 % of the population participated . This was not due to a general lack of interest in the election , but rather a general lack of voting status . There were many restrictions put on potential voters , reducing the pool of would - be voters to a mere fraction of the population . The eligible voting population was primarily made up of white , male landowners , most of whom were educated . Of the people who could potentially vote , few knew anything of running candidates due to the inability to communicate to masses of people during the 18th century , generally making informed voting nearly impossible . Those who were of a different religion or without property were considered unfit to vote due to the idea that they could be easily swayed for one candidate or another , or had the possibility of creating detrimental factions in opposition to the government . The average person was considered uneducated , which included women , slaves , non citizens , indentured servants , and individuals younger than the age of 21 . The qualities of a voter that were considered essential for a voter fit the characteristics of a `` gentleman , '' as property owners were considered to have a `` stake in society , '' deeming them independent and morally adept enough to be considered responsible voters . Voting eligibility varied from colony to colony , such as in Virginia and Connecticut which required a man to acquire a larger amount of property in order to hold different positions in office . The most common form of determining eligibility was the `` forty pound rule '' , a common English practice that requires of voters to own forty pounds worth of land or receive a 5 percent return on the owned land . These eligible voter restrictions were made more inclusive with the later passage of the 15th amendment that removed racial affiliation as an eligible voter characteristic , and with the 19th amendment in 1920 , which allowed for the suffrage of women . </P>
who was allowed to vote in the first presidential election
who was allowed to vote in the first presidential election
white , male landowners
white , male landowners