I was shocked to learn (spoiler alert from the article) that Mr. Williams vote was invalidated because he died before election day. What?! He voted! But yet the state won't accept his vote? Come on. What's the purpose of that? I am beyond annoyed that each state has different, confusing, and nonsensical rules about voting: some allow early voting while some don't, some allow mail-in ballots to all while some don't, some allow ex-felons to vote while some don't, some require IDs to vote while others don't. Sure, federalism allows states to be in charge of voting, but past amendments (15th - people of color voting, 19th - women voting, 24th - no poll tax to vote, 26th - 18 year olds can vote) have regulated voting, as have laws like the Voting Rights Act. I think we need more uniform voting laws/regulations to enshrine consistency across the UNITED States of America. Step one: have a National Holiday to vote. What's your take on voting rules? Have a reaction to this article?
I definitely feel strongly that everyone should have the right to vote, and these rights are outlined in our country's documents. I've noticed more and more voting rules that restrict many people to vote—people who are just as important as others who have been voting in the past. Closing down vote centers and not counting mail-in ballots for trivial reasons makes me extremely upset, and I think that these rules also restrict less wealthy people or people who work long hours from voting (requiring an ID that could cost up to $25, waiting in line, etc.). Overall, I have a strong reaction to this article because even people who are so civically engaged seem to be restricted from one of our most important rights in the democratic system.
ReplyDeleteThere should be fair, consistent, and equal voting rules in the United States. I believe every state should have mail in voting. It’s easier for everyone and better for low-income, marginalized communities who can’t stand in line for hours to cast their ballot. President Trump repeatedly attacks mail in voting, saying it will cause widespread fraud in the election. This is because if many marginalized groups have easy access to voting, they will vote for the democratic candidate. Trump knows that if more people vote, Biden will beat him in this election, so he uses the excuse that voting by mail is susceptible to fraud. Voting cannot be based on the question, “How can I make my party win?” The core value should be that every single United States citizen has fair, easy access to voting, no matter what their situation is, or who they are voting for.
ReplyDeleteI agree Abbie. Where's the politician who thinks "what's the right thing to do" rather than "what do I need to do to win election?" Not sure what the answer is beyond taking up the mantle and running yourself if you feel strong enough that a change is necessary. If not you, who?
DeleteI feel like the logic behind not counting Mr. Williams's vote is really lacking. Like, he voted! Why is that suddenly invalid because he died? And he made that vote of his own volition. That just really, really sucks. I think there should be a common set of voting rules that every state abides by so that voting is consistent, fair, and equal. Plus, voting is a fundamental principle in our government. It should be a right, not a privilege. It shouldn't matter what race you are or what gender you are-- you should still be able to vote. Though the age restrictions on voting I can understand since it is important that people make informed decisions and understand what it is that they're voting on. That's not to say that young people can't make decisions or have invalid opinions, though. They can and do, and those who are passionate about politics are probably more informed than a good amount of adults. It's more of the fact that younger people usually lack the rationale and maturity of (most of the) people who are older than them.
ReplyDeleteI have a very strong reaction to this, and similarly am extremely shocked by the fact that the state invalidated Mr. Williams's vote, finding it truly wrong, disrespectful, and contemptible that they would do such a thing. The important facts to consider here are that he voiced his opinions and utilized his granted/protected right to vote, and that should be enough to validate and accept his ballot. Despite him sadly passing away before the election, his input and views as an American citizen should be respected and taken into account during the election! I also agree that voting rules should become much more unified throughout the country which would make regulations and policies much clearer to voters, and would promote more equality and fairness. States also need to honor their rules, and in the case of this article, if Michigan allowed early ballots and votes to be sent in, then they should count Mr. Williams's vote as he utilized this option in voicing his opinion.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Amitai's very insightful thinking, if a state's voting regulation is to accept early ballots, then they should honor and respect the cast of an early ballot, and count the vote. On the topic of the states not having a unified system for voting, my reaction is why can't America just be one big happy family?! Super optimistic and borderline unthinkably unrealistic, but imagine living in a world where our country actually met the core values and expectations of herself; liberty and freedom for all, all men and women are created equal.... Agreeing with Colin's bright thoughts, voting is the backbone of democracy, yet for reasons our America is failing in this realm and it has really come out of the dark this year, making it really unfortunate should this last any longer for this to be normalized.
ReplyDeleteI feel like we need a bipartisan compromise to get some of these changes passed by Congress. Compromise is tough to swallow because one has to accept something they dislike in return for something they like. But if there's a win for voting rights, then I would say it would be a net positive.
DeleteReading this news made me feel sad and angry, and as Colin said, there didn’t seem to be much logic behind their decision. Especially knowing the effort that he took to vote when he had a terminal illness, it makes the whole situation seem even more unfair. I think that regardless of whether someone is alive or dead during election day (sorry if I’m being too blunt), if they cast their vote in the ballot and have been alive during a certain range of time, their vote should count. While amendments have made the voting process much fairer by allowing more people to vote, the lack of a defined, unified system between states for voting will still cause voting to be more intimidating. I really like Abbie’s point about having mail in voting for all states. While there are some negative points about this, mail in voting is 1) more accessible as people don’t have to wait in long lines to vote, 2) easier for those with busy schedules, and 3) safer during this pandemic. About having a National Holiday to vote, I don’t really agree. If we’re talking about in person events where people have to line up, I’m afraid technological difficulties are going to cause voting to be delayed.
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