America is structured by a government that is driven and created by its own citizens and Voting is the very thing that gives Americans the opportunity to voice their opinion. To ensure voting rights Americans must vote. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” To ensure voting rights people need to feel inclined to vote. To do this people must first be made to believe that their vote matters, and secondly, the act of voting itself needs to be simplified. One way to ensure that American citizens join into the democratic process is by conveying the importance of their vote. According …show more content…
For example, according to the International Business Times, states mostly in the south, where there are the most minorities and people in poverty have or are beginning to create strict ID laws. In 2013, according to the NY Times, the Supreme Court allowed selected states to change their voting laws without federal approval. Voter ID requirements is an obstacle Americans are faced with because getting an ID in selected states can be costly. Although some states offer the option to get a free ID, documentation is required and if none can be given then money is still involved. Places to purchase an ID to vote are being shut down in certain communities and are only open on certain days of the week with a small time window which can be difficult for a person who works a service job that does not get paid time off. Elections are held during the week which calls for people to miss work. Including the days of elections, long lines is an issue which calls for an almost an entire day of work to be sacrificed to vote. This creates an ultimatum between voting and having a day’s work of money. These obstacles are affecting people in poverty and minorities the most and are the reasons why the voting percentages of the country’s population are lower than they should be. If these obstacles are taken away and people are fairly given the opportunity to vote, more will exercise the
With compulsory voting many countries become successful. Germany,Peru, Australia and many more countries have been required to vote since the late 1800’s to the late 1900’s (Doc A). In Brazil those who don 't vote have to pay a fine, causing many to not miss their voting slot time
Patriots at Heart The students rose from their seats as the speaker directed “Will you please rise for the pledge of allegiance”. They placed their right hands on their chests and recited the pledge by memory as most of their minds drifted towards upcoming due dates, tests and finals. Those who stood up straight, admired the flag, and acknowledged all who had made sacrifices in order for them to be here demonstrated patriotism for their country patiently and diligently.
Voter identification so far is a hotly contested policy of election. Proponents have to maintain the vote Identification cards in order to avoid any kind of voting cheatings. Critics on the other side believe and contend that voter fraud now a time is very rare and identification requirements disenfranchise effectively some of the Americans that also includes racial minorities, elderly including some of the disabled. In general, the voting laws are measures that are intended to make sure that a registered person/voter is the one who he/she says he/she assuming not a impersonator who is trying to cast a vote under someone else’s name. These laws, most of which have been strengthened in the due last five years, requires that registered voters are required to show some identification before they can
In my essay I will provide three reasons why I do not believe Texas is operating within a democracy-a political system where the many rule. According to Author Robert Dahl, a democracy should provide opportunities for effective participation, equality in voting and inclusion of adults. There are socioeconomic factors- such ethnicity, education and income which are mentioned by author of our textbook, that impact voter participation. To begin, let’s look at the role a person ethnicity plays in a democracy. Next, examine the level of education and how it correlates to voting.
For instance our local government decides new laws that will be passed for our towns, the places we can live, and the places we can walk, and even things like businesses that are able to be open or need to be torn down. We may not think so but our votes are also important in the state and national elections as well. These are the people we will be depending on for the next term and the individuals we will have to look up to whether we like to or not. These are the people who budget our money and the individuals we are trusting. It is very important for us to go out and vote, it impacts us as an individual.
Although the voting may not take a long time, the process of registering persuades some citizens to avoid the voting process. The process of registering and voting may demand too much time for the American public. As pathetic and detrimental as that may sound, the mindset of new
Voting is a way we can make our voice heard and express our opinion on our nation and how we think the government should operate. We need the citizens to be highly educated because this nation is in their hands. The citizens are the people that elect someone to office, and that can change the course of our government completely. Understanding the ballot, the candidates, and the issues in America should not be taken lightly and is essential for all United States citizens. Voting is the outlet for your voice, and with the many others in unison, it can be a opportunity to change the direction of a community, state, and even
However, there are several ways to combat this problem. One way to get more voters to show up at the polls is have election officials mail ballots to all registered voters. This makes it easy for registered voters to select their candidates on their own time. This method to obtain more voters is in place in two states currently, Oregon and Washington. This method has proved effective because “in the 2010 midterm elections, just [Oregon and Washington] exceed 70 percent participation” (Koas).
“ While compulsion of any kind is a restriction, so is the compulsion to drive only on the right side of the road.” ( “Is It Time To Consider Mandatory Voting Laws? Worsening Voting Statistics Make a Strong Case.” by John W. Dean.) One way voter turnout can increase is by compulsory (required) voting.
However, one of the key characteristics of a healthy democracy is a high voter-turnout. If people do not turn up on Election Day, it is likely that they do not see the point of holding elections or the conditions are not suitable for them to vote. People vote because they believe that their vote has the power to make changes in the country. Voter apathy often develops when voters do not see voting as a way of voicing their concerns. America therefore continues to tread on risky ground, if a way of increasing voter turnout is not found.
Throughout the recent years the majority of the able voting population are exercising their privilege to vote. Even during the presidential elections the voter turnout rate was 50% or less than that. The act of voting should be a personal responsibility of every citizen meaning it should be a obligation. But to specify on this statement, it should not lawfully required to vote because people also have the right not to vote too (and it would be weakening personal liberties) , but it should be a personal responsibility for citizens if they are to complain about how the government run rather than every citizen. A personal responsibility is when we are the cause of our own actions.
In western democratic societies, people have gotten used to almost absolute freedom: of speech, consciousness, self-expression, gender roles, and so on. Freedom of political will is among the benefits American and European societies enjoy as well; no one can be forced to vote this or that way, and even though during elections politicians fall over themselves to convince the electorate to vote in their favor, there are no guns pressed to voters’ heads: a person is free to vote any way he or she likes, or to not vote at all. At the same time, voting is not just a right: it is also a great responsibility of every member of a society, because each vote contributes to the results of elections, which in their turn will define the way society will
In the United States, people always talk about freedom and equality. Especially they want elections could be more democratic. In American Democracy in Peril, Hudson’s main argument regarding chapter five “Election Without the People’s Voice,” is if elections want to be democratic, they must meet three essential criteria, which are to provide equal representation of all citizens, to be mechanisms for deliberation about public policy issues, and to control what government does. Unfortunately, those points that Hudson mentions are what American elections do not have. American elections do not provide equal representation to everyone in the country.
In this essay, I will analyze the very relevant issue of voter turnout. In fact, in the last few years, there have been a very small number of people involved in politics and citizens have behaved in an increasingly passive and apathetic way toward political matters. This demonstrates the weakness in the working process of modern democracies. If we look at the history, for example going back in the Athenian democracy, where all citizens, included the lower classes, participated actively in the politics, or if we think about the fight for universal suffrage, it is very shocking to realize that people of our century seem not really to use their right to vote. Hence, this clearly makes us question the causes of this apathy.
Many people believe that the election plays the most important role in democracy. Because a free and fair election holds the government responsible and forces it to behave on voter's interest. However, some scholars find evidence that election itself is not enough to hold politicians responsible if the institutions are not shaping incentives in a correct way. In other words, the role of the election on democracy, whether it helps to serve the interest of the public or specific groups, depends on other political institutions. I