Select an issue concerning voting rights or practices and briefly tell us your thoughts about it.
Voting, while stated in both the Constitution and Amendments Fifteen, Nineteen and Twenty-Six that it is a basic civil right for all over 18, still is inaccessible to many groups of Americans. Over the last 20 years, states have increased barriers around the ballot and have imposed strict voter ID laws, cut voting times, and restricted voter registration. These efforts have kept an alarming number of eligible voters from the polls but have placed significant burdens on racial minorities, poor people, and young and old voters. Voting is a fundamental part of our democracy and it is critical that we make this right accessible to all, something that is supposed to be guaranteed by our founding documents.
Voter suppression laws are laws passed by states that place a significant burden on eligible voters, making it harder for them to vote. These laws may include requirement of voter IDs and cuts to early voting. Nonetheless, these laws target specific groups, even if not explicitly stated in the language of the law, and as a result these laws are suppressing this target group from exercising their Constitutional right.
As of January 14, 2022, legislators in 27 states have introduced, pre-filed, or carried over 250 voter restrictive bills and 19 states have successfully passed such laws in recent years. Voter fraud and illegal voting is often cited as the grounds for passing such laws, yet studies have proven time and time again that such threats are not widespread and common.
Recent notable legislation includes laws passed in Georgia. This legislation shortened the window for mail voting, added new ID requirements for mail voting, and restricted ballot drop boxes. These changes were detrimental due to the groups that were targeted. Minorities are significantly less likely to have the ID required to vote and therefore may have to forgo their right to vote, while mail in voting and drop boxes are beneficial to elderly and young voters who may not be able to leave their home or are living away from their polling place.
These laws, as well as many others, create restrictions which in turn present a larger threat to the democratic nature of our country.
These laws are extraordinarily wrong in the nature of restricting one’s right to vote. Our country was built on the core values of freedom and liberty, yet these laws seem to be threatening just that. More concerningly however, is the number of citizens whose voices are being silenced through these restrictions.
It is important that every voice can be heard through a vote, no matter their race or age. While there have been some state-level efforts to expand access to the polls, there must be a push for the federal government to make a meaningful effort to expand voter access through a simpler voter registration.
For it should be the desire of every politician to make it easier, not harder, for the very people who elect them into office to cast their vote.
