Select an issue concerning voting rights or practices and briefly tell us your thoughts about it.
I have always loved history, especially the history of politics. I love to see progress and how we have opened doors and made significant gains over the course of time. However, as I am approaching eighteen and the legal voting age I have realized that the experience my generation will have is impacted by a time of political and civic unrest. This drives my curiosity and will to learn more as I head to DC to pursue my future education.
If you had asked me a year ago about gerrymandering, voter suppression, voter fraud or any other factor impacting voting rights I would have simply had to pay attention and listen. I really wouldn’t have had a clue. This past year I attended Girls’ State and learned a great deal about our political landscape. I loved the experience so much that I went on to apply for Girls’ Nation in DC and was selected to represent Vermont as a senate delegate. This opportunity was a great learning experience.
Of all the voting practices we discussed, respectfully debated, and researched I found myself intrigued by the ever growing culture of thought around voting denialism. This phenomenon that seems new to experienced voters is something my generation of voters has heard repeatedly as we approach our first opportunity to vote.
This movement to induce doubt in the voting and election process is concerning for my generation. These thoughts and ideas about whether or not election results are real, leads some to undermine and even want to overturn election results. Election Denialism has even impacted election results, making it hard for some political figures to get elected.
I believe that using one’s political influence to deny election results is a misuse of political power and hurting our democracy. I am hopeful that we can rebuild and strengthen the systems that protect voters and voting rights in our country as we prepare for future elections.