Thanks to the 19th Amendment women can vote. However, anti-voting sentiments have long played a role in American politics. Way back during the women’s suffrage movement, this sentiment was nailed-in by The National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage.
This organization campaigned towards women: “You do not need a ballot to clean out your sink spout. Control of the temper makes a happier home than control of elections.” A commonality between much of their campaigning was the ideal of the homemaker wife. Except, you’re not much of a citizen if you can’t use your voice. Voting is the pinnacle of what it means to be an American–above all else, it is the power we have as people in this country. It comes with no surprise that it is such a hot button issue debating who can and who cannot vote. No matter how active you choose to be in American politics, voter suppression is one of those things you just got to know about.
As voters, what can we do to protect our rights? Registering to vote is the first and foremost action that we can take. Next, advocate for voting rights legislation. It is pretty cool that we can vote, and it is even cooler how easy it can be. However, only 70.9% of eligible white voters turned out in the 2020 election. For eligible non-white voters, only 58.4% of casted ballots. Preventing voter fraud, many politicians say, is the reason for a plethora of new voting laws that make it harder to vote. Over 200 measures have been enacted since the 2020 election on the basis of alleged voter fraud. Most of these measures directly impact non-white voters, further hindering their access to the ballot. The John Lewis Voting Rights Acts and The Freedom to Vote Act are two pieces of legislation currently stalled in the Senate. Both bills would significantly fight ongoing voter suppression. Despite the urgency of legislation to overturn limiting measures, the chances of approval in the Senate is low. Majority leader, Senator Chuck Schumer, states that, “If the Senate cannot protect the right to vote, which is the cornerstone of our democracy, then the Senate rules must be reformed.” Bipartisanship is once again proving detrimental to the very institutions that make America “America.”
So what are these bills and why are they important to protecting our right to vote?
The John Lewis Voting Rights Act
The John Lewis Voting Rights Act will require the Department of Justice to approve any changes to voting right laws. This way, states won’t be able to intentionally hinder certain demographics from participating in voting. This is an important countermeasure, especially in states with a history of violating voting rights. An example of a voting measure that may be subject to be overturned is strict voter ID requirements.
The Freedom to Vote Act
This is the more heavy-hitting of the two bills. While there are many important pieces, here are a few significant items up for discussion within the bill:
- Adjusting Election Day to be a national holiday
- Outlawing partisan gerrymandering
- Voting must become more accessible for people with disabilities
- Ability to vote by mail without a need for an excuse
- Strengthening the ability to investigate campaigning abuses by political candidates
- So many other important issues!
While bipartisanship is failing these acts, as citizens and voters, it is imperative to unite behind them. Democratic Senator Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii argues that if oppressive voting laws continue to pile on, “we won’t have a democracy. It’s that simple — that’s the reality.” Sweeping bills such as these two may not be passed any time soon. Constant politicalization makes change difficult to come to fruition. Nonetheless, as citizens, we have a civic duty to stay educated in order to advocate for what we think is right. Knowing what is right has little to do with parties or political affiliation.