Ensuring Voting Access
Politics is not the most beloved topic of conversation among people in society. However, as politics only continue to grow more intense, there should be more focus on them. With the upcoming election, the problem of voting access is more important now than ever. Although it should be, voting access is not always guaranteed. Unfortunately, the system sometimes puts restrictions in place to purposefully hinder people’s ability to get out and vote.
This is mainly done to change election outcomes or stop certain groups of people from voting. Voting is a vital part of our democracy, and even then, it is always being threatened. In 2023, around 322 bills restricting voting access were introduced in 45 states. Our country continues to get more polarized and elections can seem to bring out the worst of people. Voting access is something that should be looked at not only with the upcoming presidential election but also because it is the backbone of our democracy. Civic engagement is important to a democratic society in general, but essential in a society that is set on opposing views.
Looking specifically at North Carolina, the ACLU reports they continue to see attempts to impose barriers to the ballot box, limit the times and ways people can vote, and keep formerly incarcerated people from voting once no longer held by the state. PBS reported that the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming that GOP legislative leaders intentionally moved boundary lines for General Assembly and congressional districts this fall so that preferred candidates of black voters lose to preferred candidates of white voters. This is a voting problem that can be seen all over the country. This is done to get the preferred candidate and swing districts in their favor. In the same article, they also reported that this map will put Republicans in good shape to win at least 10 out of the state’s 14 congressional seats next November. This is a clear problem if it can be argued it was not done fairly.
To further show the importance of this issue, North Carolina has recently changed its voting rules requiring citizens to go through extra steps to vote. The changes made are among continuous voting changes made by Republican State Legislatures. They encourage voters to not let these restrictions deter them from going out and participating in their right to vote. These different ways of restricting voting access are only some of the ways government officials are not doing right by American citizens.
This takes away from the exact principle that our democracy was built on. The people are supposed to vote and choose the people they want to lead them, and if boundary lines are changed to change the election outcome, there has to be serious government intervention. Typically marginalized communities are the ones most affected by this problem and most other societal issues. We should continue to work to change these issues, but at the bare minimum, talk about them.
When contemplating how to change this issue, it can seem like a dead end. One of the best ways to create social change is to advocate. People should always speak up about their rights and when something is wrong. In any situation, not just voting and government issues, people should always speak out against hurtful systems or people. We are in a generation where the internet is so easily accessible at all times. We should use it to stay informed on issues like this. The people have the right to vote for the officials in place and it is my right just as much as anyone else to go out and choose the candidates they prefer. People should reach out to their government officials if they recognize these voting issues in their home state.
The League of Women’s Voters is an amazing source for finding out more about the issue and how to get involved. Some of the ways they list are volunteering to register voters, spreading the word, advocating for voting rights legislation, and supporting voting rights organizations. These options are not only fairly easy ways to get involved but also extremely beneficial to different societal issues like voting access. Voting is an issue all over the country, not just in North Carolina, so it should be highlighted as a more important issue than it currently is. If not every person is guaranteed the right to vote, can we say it is a true democracy?
Lastly, to reiterate from the Associated Press, do not let these restrictions stop you from going out and voting. It is a quintessential part of our government and our lives, and it is critical to be an engaged citizen. Like all other societal problems, if people ignore the voting issue and do not pay attention to how damaging it is to our nation, then nothing will ever change.
