Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

VOTING RIGHTS ACT

Good Essays
302 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Why voting right should be reformed

College students are among the largest group of people that would be affected most by the new voting rights laws. Most college students enter college at age seventeen so once it’s time to go to the polls they would just be turning eighteen which is the age you are allowed to vote. That seem as if it wouldn’t be a problem but a lot of college students go out of state for college so the new voting right act would make it difficult for them to register to vote and also obtain the proper identification cards they will need. Congress against these laws argue that they affect elderly, minority and low-income groups that tend to vote Democratic. Obtaining photo ID can be costly and burdensome, with state ID requiring documents like a birth certificate that can cost up to $25 in some places, that would discourage them from wanting to vote and because they would feel like they have to do a lot just to get identification. The same goes for older people because they may not have the proper documents that’s necessary to get the identification cards and it would be more difficult for them to get around. Some may argue that the new voter identification law protects election form voter frauds but its post a similarities to voting barriers against black, poor, and minority people.
The law also cuts early voting by a week and eliminates same-day registration, early registration for high school students and straight-ticket voting. In previous elections those procedures have been used disproportionately by African Americans and democrats. I conclude my argument by saying that the new voting laws is allowing history to repeat itself by hindering and putting limits on factors that is used for voting in election.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Felons Right to Vote

    • 1154 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The lines are long, it’s raining, it’s hot, or it may be cold, but exercising your right to vote is as important as all of your other civil rights. As Americans we have came a very long way when it comes to protecting our civil rights, and choosing the right candidate to protect our country. In 1964, three civil right activist set out to set up a voter’s registry for African Americans, but it was short lived because they were brutally murder by members of the Klu Klux Klan in Philadelphia, Mississippi((IMBD). This helped pave the road for African Americans to get out and register to vote. Not long ago, only one-third of African Americans were registered to vote, and two third of the voters were white, because African Americans was terrified of voting, or they chose not to. While voting is a right that we all have, if you have committed a crime and it has been classified as a felon, in most states you are restricted from voting. Since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, there has been a significant increase of voters at the polls. It has increased significantly in the African America and Hispanic populations and due to this, President Obama, an African American, was voted into office in 2008, and is now serving his second term. There have been many protests regarding felons voting and their civil rights being violated. While three great men lost their lives over such a significant cause in Mississippi, in order for a convicted felon to vote in Mississippi, his or her state representative must personally author a bill reenfranchising that individual. Both houses of the legislature must then pass the bill. Re-enfranchisement can also be granted directly by the governor. (“ProCon.org”). …

    • 1154 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Compulsory voting would help citizens to become further educated about voting. In accordance to the George Mason University citizens with a lower education or are of a younger age, have a lower percentage of voter turnout(Doc. B). This would be caused by the fact that these citizens don’t have much knowledge of how to vote. Having compulsory voting would eliminate this due to the fact that…

    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Holder case can directly effect the very poor, low-income citizens, as well as certain minorities who may have come to the U.S. illegally or have not yet obtained U.S. citizenship. Following the Supreme Court ruling, many states began to pass changes that would shift voter registration times as well as add new identification requirements. State legislatures involved had these changes made in an effort to challenge voter fraud and shrink voting budgets. However, many believe that these changes will only limit the right to vote, which is what Section 5 helped to protect against in the first place. The poor and these specific minority groups may not own government-approved identification, and they may not be able to find enough time in their work schedule to take time off to vote come Election Day. This can also indirectly effect the regular voting citizens in the states where these new changes were passed. If a particular town or district in one of these states happens to have a large low-income or minority population, then voter participation in that area could drastically drop. This effects the regular voting citizens because it now puts more stress on them to get out and participate on Election Day in order for their town or district to get enough votes…

    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The U.S. has 35 states that practice the voter id law, which requires some form of official identification in order for a person to register to vote, receive a ballot for an election, or to vote. Since these laws have been passed they have been the topic of debate during election time. There are many variables to consider when deciding if the positive benefits of the laws outweigh the negative benefits. Along with the voter id law being passed in several states in 2002, the federal government passed the Help America Vote Act, which mandates that all states and localities upgrade their election procedures, voting machines, and registration processes ext. Although, the Acts mandated by the states would help to mitigate voter fraud which is a…

    • 377 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Robert Powell goes on to explain that voter turnout is disadvantaged 13% by the party system and institutional factors, and 14% by registration laws. Legal and administrative obstacles, including time/place restrictions on registration and voting, affect the poor and uneducated more than the well-off and educated. Additionally, parties strategize which eligible voters, i.e. those they believe will vote for them, they will reach out to “activate and enlist.” They even went a step further with their attempted termination of the Motor Voter Act. They approach specific groups and tailor their campaigns and platforms around those people.…

    • 977 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    voting writes. When it came time to pass the voting rights act, in 1965, there were…

    • 321 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    During the last election several controversial issues, were being voted on. One of the topics that many people had strong opinions about was voter ID. The majority of people polled felt that Voter ID should be required in all elections. They firmly believed that if voter ID was mandatory it would increase voter confidence in the outcome of elections, reduce voter fraud, and facilitate use of updated, efficient 21st century election systems.…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Voting Rights Act 1982

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages

    ALTHOUGH the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and its changes have brought an end to many voting terribly unfair treatments, voting practices continue to exist.…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Voting Rights before the New Legislation:…

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Voting is a very touchy subject in America today. With the economy the way it is people are paying more attention to the government than before. In his article Defending Our Voting Rights; Jeffrey Toobin argues that Republicans systematically attempt to disenfranchise Democrats. He argues that the Republicans go to great lengths to try to win elections. Jeffrey Toobin adequately supports his stance by stating facts, using quotes from credible sources, and by showing data that supports his arguments.…

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 had 19 separate sections. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 protected the rights of voters in the United States. No voting qualifications to voters shall be imposed. It outlawed poll tax. American citizens could not be denied the right to vote based on race or color. The United States Attorney General was given the authority to appoint federal examiners to audit states, voting policies and practices if they felt there was a violation.…

    • 79 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sharon Salzberg once said, “Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country and this world.” This is relevant to today because voting is overlooked and taken for granted. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 provided equal rights to all people and enabled all races the equality they deserve. This act was signed into law on August 6, 1965, by President Lyndon Johnson. It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting.…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was enacted by Congress to address the high amount of racial discrimination in voting. It was an evil which had been perpetuated in many different parts of the United States through unremitting defiance of the Constitution. In Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act, it contains the coverage formula that helps determine which states and local governments are subject to the pre-clearance under Section 5 of the Act. Section 5 of the Act contains the pre-clearance requirement that requires certain states and local governments to obtain a determination by the United States Attorney General, that changes made to their voting laws don’t deny or abridge the right to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a…

    • 920 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    America has always been a nation of immigrants, and it remains today the most welcoming nation in the world. It is a violation of both state and federal law for immigrants who are not citizens to vote in state and federal elections. These violations effectively exclude legitimate voters whose votes are diluted, and they must be shortened. Voting is a notorious representation in American community life. Besides standing for public office, American citizens don’t have any more civic obligations than those that are derived from their ability and responsibility to help shape the community policy. The privilege to vote is an essential vehicle for exercising civic obligations. That is the reason the augmentation of the vote to all the country’s citizens has truly been…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Democracy is a foundation of a country’s success. The idea of mandatory voting goes against the democracy of the United States. Mandatory voting is a violation of our civil rights that might become a law in the United States. Although many believe that mandatory voting helps to strengthen a democratic government by increasing the number of voters, mandatory voting violates people’s freedom of choice in the United States.…

    • 947 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays