Since the last election in 2012, 20 states passed 37 new voting requirements, they claim that these new requirements are beneficial to prevent voting fraud. More than a third of those changes require voters to show specified government-issued photo IDs at the polls or reduce the number of acceptable ID's. Many find the showing Identification is discriminatory, which is why a court in Texas, ruled that its state's voters won't have to show ID in the November election. The new voting requirements are mainly being passed from the republican side, and some additional requirements include, reducing the number of days voters can cast ballots in person before election day, eliminated opportunities to register and vote on the same day, or moved up deadlines to register and still vote on election day. It seems to me that these laws are trying to prevent citizens from voting, and targeting the poor, for example not everyone can afford a car, which is why they might now have a license which is probably the most common type of photo ID. Which is why I ask you guys,
1. Do you think these laws are fair to all voters, why or why not?
2. Do you think that these new voting requirements are necessary?
3. What are some other ways we can prevent voting fraud?
From what I've heard, voter fraud is more or less a non-issue. I find the practice of increasing voter verification to be discriminatory. Why are we trying to make it HARDER for people to vote? I think these laws are uncalled for, and I think they are more an excuse to prevent people who have the right to vote from voting than they are a method of preventing voter fraud. If you ask me, voter verification sounds similar to the literacy tests of the late 1800s and early 1900s- a nonsense reason to keep power concentrated where it is.
ReplyDeleteSome facts:
- The rate of fraud in US elections is close to zero.
- UFO sightings are more common than voter fraud.
- So is getting struck by lightning.
Source: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/03/voter-fraud-laws-gop-minority-voters-elections
As for solving the issue of voter fraud, I've heard that issuing a national voting ID could be a possible solution. I've done minimal research on this so far, though, so I can't promise that I stand by it.
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ReplyDeleteStephanie's opinion about voter fraud has many valid points, and entertaining ones as well. The idea of nationally issued voter ID cards has been up for debate and from what I have read so far, is as easy as handing out these cards to citizens as if they were social security number cards. Obviously within these cards there is debate about the cost of them, security measures within the card so they can't simply be remade, but the overall idea creates a mainstream way for voting to become as simple and orderly for ALL citizens to enjoy no matter their circumstances.
ReplyDeleteTrump spoke about something similar to this the other day, referencing Pennsylvania's voter fraud and claiming that he could possibly lose because of it. I definitely think that there is an underlying motive to these laws. Instead of getting rid of "voter fraud," these laws target certain groups of people.
ReplyDeleteNo, because voting should be out of your own will,and anyone should be able to vote. I do not think the new law requirements are necessary. we can prevent it by not allowing people with a record vote.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Stephanie and Tomislav on this topic. Creating more and more preventions for voter fraud is not a real necessity as there currently is no real threat for it. And as said before, it just makes it harder for people to vote. This also prevents people from actually voting because by making it harder, people will not be as tempted to try and get everything to be able to vote. Turning people off to the idea of voting is the opposite of what the U.S. needs to be doing at the moment. Younger people need to be encouraged to vote, and making it harder is not going to help that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephanie on the idea that asking for identification to prevent voter fraud seeming discriminatory. It is not a large and prevalent threat right now, and our worries should be focused on larger things.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lynn completely. These news laws are unnecessary and as a government, we are focused on things that are much less important than what we should focus on.
ReplyDeleteThese new voting requirements are not necessary because the point of elections is to get people to vote and have a say in their country.Seeing that only 9% of the U.S. population is voting, we should focus more on trying to get people to vote rather than voting fraud. Although this may cause discrepancies in the voting count, the bigger issue is not having people care about their future and who they want to lead their country. Therefore, I believe at this time these new requirements are not needed.
ReplyDeleteI believe these new voting rights are unfair and are restricting more people from voting. We need to encourage and get more people to feel comfortable to vote.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, these new enforced laws on voting are not fair at all, it restricts a lot of people from voting. Instead of these laws we should find way to allow more people to vote and more like encourage them to vote
ReplyDeletePersonally I do not believe having to show an ID is discriminatory at all. These laws aren't set in place in order to hurt people's feelings or to maybe them feel descriminated by, they're put in order to benefit the polls in an equal and safe way. If one doesn't have proof of ID then there could be maybe another law that allows one to bring different documentation identifying who they are. This being said, I think the original law is fine, I just find it that many people take things to the extreams because they can.
ReplyDeleteI feel like that some laws are discriminatory and that anyone should be able to vote. Keeping people from voting is going against their freedom of speech and I feel like rights are being taken away because of this.
ReplyDeleteI do not think these laws are fair because I feel that it targets the poor and anyone who can't drive. If they can't drive then they won't have a photo ID. The most common type of ID. I think they're somewhat necessary because if someone doesn't have an ID then we don't really know who they are. We can prevent voting fraud by making sure every citizen has an ID.
ReplyDeleteI do not think these laws are fair because I feel that it targets the poor and anyone who can't drive. If they can't drive then they won't have a photo ID. The most common type of ID. I think they're somewhat necessary because if someone doesn't have an ID then we don't really know who they are. We can prevent voting fraud by making sure every citizen has an ID.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the new voting requirements that the republican side is passing is making it harder for people to vote because they are afraid of the outcome if these new requirements were not in place. Democrats are always working to get people to go out and vote especially the minorities and republicans see that as a threat to their power. Currently they control the House and Senate in by putting in these restrictions they are working to control the White House as well.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think that this is totally unfair for everyone, because I know mostly every person out there would like someone good to lead there country and better there futures. So that's why everyone should have the right to vote and the new voting requirements are not necessary
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