This blog is used to familiarize and educate the students of EDU 309 on Voting Rights in America. Prior to this blog, my fellow classmate and I knew very little about voting rights or the current issues surrounding the voting rights in America. This is one of the main reasons why we chose this topic. After researching important events in history and also researching many different current events, we are beginning to understand the severity of these changes and the importance of knowing and understanding these events. The changes that are in progress in 2013 will ultimately and have already affected the opportunities available to many different American citizens. As an American citizen, it is important that we remain aware of the issues that are surrounding us so that we can become civil and responsible adults in our community and country.
Brief overview of Voting Rights:
When the Constitution of the United States was first written, only white male property owners (which was only 10-16 percent of the nation's population) had the right to vote. It wasn't until the 1800's that things began to change and states gradually dropped the property requirement for voting which granted a larger percent of the population to vote. In 1870, the15th Amendment was ratified which prohibited states from denying a male citizen the right to vote based on “race,
color or previous condition of servitude.” Despite these efforts, a great amount of discrimination occurred towards the African American people in order to prevent them from voting. It wasn't until Lyndon Johnson became president that we truly began to see change. On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law which was used to overcome the 15th amendment of the constitution of the United States. This act banned the
use of literacy tests, provided for federal oversight of voter registration in
areas where less than 50 percent of the nonwhite population had not registered
to vote, and authorized the U.S. attorney general to investigate the use of
poll taxes in state and local elections (in 1964, the 24th Amendment made poll
taxes illegal in federal elections; poll taxes in state elections were banned
in 1966 by the U.S. Supreme Court). Since its passage,
the Voting Rights Act has been amended to include the
protection of voting rights for non-English speaking American citizens. The Voting Rights Act is considered by many as the "most effective and indispensable tool in American history for protecting the right to vote of racial minorities (American Civil Liberties Union)." It is however important to note that there are still many flaws in regards to Voting Rights in America and discrimination still persists at the polls today.
Voting changes passed in 2013:
There has been a great deal of new laws passed in 2013 regarding Voting Rights. Since the beginning of 2013, there has been at least 82 restrictive bills introduced in 31 states. A restrictive bill typically restricts the access to register and vote for many people. On the other hand, at least 219 expansive bills that would expand access to voting were introduced in 45 states. Despite the introduction of these bills, many of them have not yet been approved. Overview of Voting Rights in 2013.
What is important to remember when reviewing all of these new bills is how these new requirements coincide with the standards we must uphold in the Voting Rights Act. The purpose of the Voting Rights Act is to conserve all minorities rights to vote in America but many of the new laws like photo ID requirements, restrictions to registration, and cuts to early voting simply removes some minorities rights. Ultimately, some believe that the voting rights act is a "critical safeguard in defending against these discriminatory policies by serving as our democracy's discrimination checkpoint (ACLU)." Others believe that these new bills are simply removing the right to vote to people who should not have a say in our government and how things are run.
Jane's Viewpoint:
The conflicts pertaining to peoples' right to vote is something that America has faced many times throughout history. Originally, very few people had the ability to vote, as voting was once something only privileged white men knew. As time progressed, the right to vote moved toward allowing African Americans, women, and other minorities to vote in elections. Over the past several decades our country has been facing controversy during our nation's elections. In the United States we have strived for equality and freedom for all. However, under certain circumstances these votes can be taken away from American citizens. American citizens are born with the right to vote, I think a lot of people today take that for granted, and because of this I agree that this right should be taken away. One of the easiest ways for an American citizen to have their vote to right taken away is by infringing on the laws of the United States. I do not think that anyone should be able to vote once he or she has convicted a felony. Another controversial issue regarding voter rights is whether or not illegal immigrants should also have the right to vote if they are living in America. I do not think they should be given the right to vote, even though they might be working and living in the United States. Until an immigrant of our country has become a legal U.S. citizen of the United States, I do not think that they should be able to vote in our country. With that being said, this is why the topic of voter rights is controversial and difficult. Overall, the U.S. Supreme Court has been in charge of the Voting Rights Act to help minorities attain equal rights as those legal citizens. Because I do not think illegal immigrants should have the same voter rights as legal citizens in America, I agree with the Republican party. The Democratic party is more in favor of an easier process to allow minorities and illegal immigrants to have the right to vote.
What is important to remember when reviewing all of these new bills is how these new requirements coincide with the standards we must uphold in the Voting Rights Act. The purpose of the Voting Rights Act is to conserve all minorities rights to vote in America but many of the new laws like photo ID requirements, restrictions to registration, and cuts to early voting simply removes some minorities rights. Ultimately, some believe that the voting rights act is a "critical safeguard in defending against these discriminatory policies by serving as our democracy's discrimination checkpoint (ACLU)." Others believe that these new bills are simply removing the right to vote to people who should not have a say in our government and how things are run.
Jane's Viewpoint:
The conflicts pertaining to peoples' right to vote is something that America has faced many times throughout history. Originally, very few people had the ability to vote, as voting was once something only privileged white men knew. As time progressed, the right to vote moved toward allowing African Americans, women, and other minorities to vote in elections. Over the past several decades our country has been facing controversy during our nation's elections. In the United States we have strived for equality and freedom for all. However, under certain circumstances these votes can be taken away from American citizens. American citizens are born with the right to vote, I think a lot of people today take that for granted, and because of this I agree that this right should be taken away. One of the easiest ways for an American citizen to have their vote to right taken away is by infringing on the laws of the United States. I do not think that anyone should be able to vote once he or she has convicted a felony. Another controversial issue regarding voter rights is whether or not illegal immigrants should also have the right to vote if they are living in America. I do not think they should be given the right to vote, even though they might be working and living in the United States. Until an immigrant of our country has become a legal U.S. citizen of the United States, I do not think that they should be able to vote in our country. With that being said, this is why the topic of voter rights is controversial and difficult. Overall, the U.S. Supreme Court has been in charge of the Voting Rights Act to help minorities attain equal rights as those legal citizens. Because I do not think illegal immigrants should have the same voter rights as legal citizens in America, I agree with the Republican party. The Democratic party is more in favor of an easier process to allow minorities and illegal immigrants to have the right to vote.
Brittani's Viewpoint:
Truthfully, I am still struggling with what exactly my view is on the topic. I believe that is difficult to decide what exactly I feel about this subject when it is so controversial and prior to a week ago I had very little background knowledge on the subject. I think that when I look at all of the articles and new laws that are trying to be passed, I can't help but acknowledge how we not only have 82 new restrictive bills, but we also have 219 expansive bills. Why is it that some states are trying to make our ability to vote much more exclusive while the other states are becoming more lenient with their voting rights? How is it that each state can be on so many different playing fields when it comes to who gets to vote and who does not? I also think that it is hard to understand and fully make a thorough judgement on everything when many of the articles are discussing changes pertaining to the good of one single minority rather than the good of America as a whole and the equality of our people. I do however believe it is important to reiterate what Jane said and remind ourselves that if you are born in America, you are born with the right to vote. Unless you break some kind of law or make it so that your rights have been taken away from you than how is it that some of these new laws might take away some of the rights of people who have done nothing wrong? Although I don't fully understand exactly everything that is going on and it is hard to understand everything from a week or two of reading, it does seem that the reason why things are so controversial is because there is a great deal of contradiction when it comes to these new bills, the Voting Rights Act, the viewpoints of each state, and also our born rights as Americans.
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