Voters Participation In The Voting System

Improved Essays
Currently a voting problem has arisen based on the participation that eligible voters have in the democratic system. The author argues that certain groups, such as elderly voters, low-income people, specific demographic groups, and student are targeted to diminish their voting rights, by mentioning that the Representative John Lewis saw a deliberate systematic attempt to rule out potential voters from exercising their right.
The “war” is being waged due to four different ways by setting up barriers to registration, cutting early voting, photo IDs, and disenfranchising ex-felons. Barriers to registration include new bureaucratic requirements that may be imposed on voter registration groups, such as Rock the Vote and the League of Women Voters,

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Tanya Dugree-Pearson: "Disenfranchisement - A Race Neutral Punishment for Felony Offenders or a Way to Diminish the Minority Vote." Dugree-Pearson observes the discriminatory influence of disenfranchisement laws. She points out that one-third of disenfranchised voters are African American men, which is a much higher proportion than their prevalence in the general population. Although ex-felons can apply to restore their voting rights in several states, Dugree-Pearson purports that they are often either uninformed or lack the resources to restore their voting status. To reinforce this theory empirically, she presents the example of Florida, which she claims is “responsible for one-third of the disenfranchised population (Dugree-Pearson 382).…

    • 928 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In 2013, Shelby County v. Holder struck down the coverage provision of the voting rights act. This provision required state governments in areas that historically disenfranchised voters to require federal preclearance for changes in voting laws and practices. Since this decision, a variety of states have passed or are in the process of passing voting laws targeted to disenfranchise minorities that typically vote in patterns contrary to their self interests as legislators. This case, and the resulting voting laws that were passed in its wake, is the problem that is most important to me in our current political environment.…

    • 324 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The future of our nation and our democracy depends upon the next generation of electorates. In the ABC documentary An Uneducated Electorate Promotes Democracy's Demise by John Stossel, Richard Dreyfus discusses how uninformed, apathetic, and uninterested electorates will ultimately lead to the demise of the United States’ form of democracy. Moreover, the fault also lies in current cable shows that misinform the majority of impressionable and easily manipulated electorates. As the foundation of our government lies within the citizens, an incognizant electorate will jeopardize and threaten our democracy. Education plays a part in the foundation of democracy.…

    • 703 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    “Since World War II, no presidential election has ever involved 65% or more of registered voters!” ( Should Americans Be Required to Vote? para. 3). This staggering percentage shows that something needs to change to increase voter turnout.…

    • 224 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    As the upcoming Presidential election approaches, many citizens believe their personal vote will elect the next President and Vice President. However, the framers of the U.S. Constitution decided to have a different process instead of using the popular vote. As the form of government was being discussed, America was not as large as it is today.…

    • 1632 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Vast amounts of voters have been turned away due to not having the “sufficient identification” to appease the polling workers. In Texas alone, nearly 1.4 million people were disenfranchised by the new voting laws (Rhodan 1). It is baffling that the disenfranchisement of millions is noted as a worthy and justifiable result of “solving” a problem that does not exist. Not only are people being denied the right to vote, but they are also being purged off of voter rolls. Such is the case in Virginia, where 38,000 unsuspecting individuals were thrown off the register due to the new laws (Liebelson 1).…

    • 1456 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Often, the campaign process reveals the fault within America’s electoral system, which is now relevant in light of the 2016 presidential election. The political leaders in America, (specifically congressmen) often use tactics that marginalize minority groups and encourage undue voter representation in order to secure their political position and increase their party’s power. Political leaders using tactic such as these are difficult to remove from power, despite public opinion. The elections and campaigns in America do not provide a good system for choosing the best political leaders, nor should they be admired and emulated, because the political leaders are often able to manipulate the elections using tactics such as gerrymandering.…

    • 689 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    “New literacy tests and residency and registration requirements, common in northern as well as southern states, limited the right to vote among the poor.” Being that almost all of color America was lower class, these electoral changes during the Progressive Era symbolized a considerable reversal of the idea that voting was a given right of American citizenship (Foner,…

    • 1256 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A troubling story that has not gotten much attention this election season — or any recent one, for that matter — is why a certain group of roughly 5.3 million Americans won't be allowed to vote. It isn't because they're underage or non-citizens or mentally incompetent. It isn't because they're unregistered or physically unable to get to the polls. It isn't even because they're limping around with a chronic case of political apathy.…

    • 912 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Strict Voter Id Laws

    • 1644 Words
    • 7 Pages

    This article examines the effects that strict voter identification laws has over voting-eligible Americans and concludes against popular opinion that these laws do not affect voter turnout. Due to Georgia’s strict ID laws, the author finds that while turnout among black in Georgia fluctuates, turnout since the implementation of the strict voter ID laws is generally higher than black turnout was immediately before strict voter ID requirements were enforced. This source is valuable in tackling some preconceived notions the readers may have. It still remains a hot topic today that strict voting laws would bring a systematic bias against the poor and minorities, but the information gathered in this article shows, at least in Georgia, that…

    • 1644 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Arguably, one of the most prevalent reasons for low voter turnout is voter registration. Though voter registration is present throughout the world, there are two main types: self-initiated (also known as “active” or “affirmative” systems) and state-initiated (also known as “automatic” or “passive” systems) (“Voter Registration”). The United States follows the self-initiated method and despite its benefits, it also some legitimate disadvantages. Privacy is protected in this method, since the registration process does not require private information; this system also creates a specific voter list for electoral processes (Roberts, 25). On the other hand, the self-initiated process tends to leave eligible voters out of the process since many people…

    • 1809 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Brilliant Essays

    Blum, Edward. The Unintended Consequences of Section 5 of the Voting Rights . Washington, D.C.: AEI Press, 2007. 88. Print. 4.…

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Brilliant Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Citizenship in the United States means having the right to vote. However, this right for every citizen did not come without overcoming some racially discriminatory obstacles. One of these obstacles for African-American men were the Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow laws unfairly discriminated against African-Americans preventing them from casting their ballot at the voting poll. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 ended the overt forms of racial discrimination in voting practices.…

    • 770 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Voting Rights Act

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The new state attempts at voter suppression are underway in a political environment that has drastically changed. Jeff Sessions, the new attorney general, is hardly likely to be as proactive as the Obama administration was in investigating complaints of voter suppression by the states. Mr. Sessions is on record as finding the Voting Rights Act “intrusive.” In 1986, the Senate rejected Mr. Sessions as a nominee for the federal bench, based on past racially offensive comments and his role in prosecuting a voter fraud case against black civil rights activists in Alabama. Research shows voter fraud is a minuscule occurrence — with an incident rate at no higher than 0.0025 percent at worst, according to a study by the Brennan Center for Justice.…

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Voting: A Right Hindered 1. What is the main idea of the passage? Why voters do not vote in local elections. 2.…

    • 679 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays