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Voting rights in the united states essay
Voting rights in the united states essay
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Citizens by birth and naturalized citizens have the rights to vote and be elected for office, or president. Non citizens do not have the rights to vote or become part of office because they do not have the rights with not being part of the states or country. Some examples citizens can participate in are Participating in political discussions, reading the newspapers/keeping up with the news and the latest information. Going to protest/boycotts just being involved with your community. Voting and political participation is important because it shows that you want to be involved as a citizen. It it showing other citizens around you that you can have a voice. In hopes that other citizens will have the courage to have a voice and participate in
I will vote in elections to come because I personally want to have a voice in government and that it’s a constitutional right to vote. As I get older, the government plays a bigger role in my life and with that I would like to have a say in how my life goes. I know that I can’t change some things, but I would like to at least try and have a chance to have my way go in government which is why I’ll vote. I also believe that since the government protects you in many ways, then you should use the right they give you to vote and do it.
Among the many ways Americans can participate in politics, voting is considered one of the most common and important ways for Americans to get involved. The outcome of any election, especially at the national level, determines who will be making and enforcing the laws that all Americans must abide by. With this in mind one might assume that all Americans are active voters, but studies show the voter turnout is actually astonishingly low. With this unsettling trend it is important to know what statistics say about voter turnout as was as the four major factors that influence participation: Socioeconomic status, education, political environment, and state electoral laws, in order to help boost turnout in future elections.
In the 2012 United States Presidential election 58.2 percent of the registered voters turnout out to vote (IDEA). This figure is in stark contrast to many other wealthy democracies in the western world for the same election cycle (IDEA). This begs the question, why is voter turnout significantly lower in the US compared to the rest of the first world and other OECD countries? There are countless factors that could affect voter turnout, the most standard of which are based on socioeconomic status. But when considering only developed nations, more is at play in predicting turnout. Focus is turned to institutional factors and the effect election mechanisms, such as registration laws and party systems, have on political participation.
The United States is an inspiration of liberty and hope for nations around the world. It is a nation with citizens who have the unalienable rights of, “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” and a model for how democratic nations should be ordered and maneuvered due to its intrinsic values that are held. Democracy is a system of government where the citizens are responsible for shaping their nation to represent who they are and what they stand for. The people have the ultimate power in the nation. However, as no pure direct democracy exists in any nation, an indirect democracy arises, where people vote to elect representatives, who then in turn make the greater part of decisions for the nation.
In the U.S.A. today, political campaigns and elections are accepted as normal. Almost every new year brings regulations, politicians, or some other form of legislature to be voted on by the people, both on the national and local levels. Today, the idea of universal suffrage is often thought of as an obligation or even a burden. This mindset which American’s have today completely contrasts with the mindset of American’s in the past, specifically in the early 1800’s. Between 1815 and 1840, participation in political campaigns and elections in the United States changed greatly. This time period of transition immediately followed the highly controversial War of 1812. “First-generation politicians” had begun to appear, including well-known, popular
In conclusion, voting is an opportunity to express oneself. Voting has a background that is long and drawn out. People in the colonial times went through a significant amount of laws and regulations about who could not vote, and who could. It led to Americans receiving our voting rights, still today. However, many people may not vote, it is important to know the background, the reasons for voting, and the reasons why people choose not to vote.
Since the establishment of our great country, Americans utilized the ballot box as a freedom of expression. Voting is a basic right that many of us take for granted, some even viewing it as a “God given right.” As citizens, we expect the right to vote. Many oblivious to the fact that voting is a privilege that can be revoked. The process, commonly referred to as disenfranchisement, is the principle reason for my summary. Today more than ever, one of America's post-election concerns is voter turnout. Usually, the numbers are bleak, especially during local elections. As a society, we cannot afford to turn our back on one of the pillars of a democracy. If elected officials are to represent segments of voters, then people from all lifestyles need to be able to participate in the process. As a Republic, our elected officials carry the message of their constituents, uniting many voices into one. This is not the case for some segments of society. Major findings show that over an estimated 5.2 million Americans have lost the right to vote. (Lance 2008) Many of these Americans are members of minority groups. The process that makes disenfranchisement possible has been in practice for centuries. The law states that once you have become a felon you lose your right to vote. This applies even after their release into society. Further aggravating the issue is society’s current tough stance on lawbreakers, which has converted what were once misdemeanors into felonies. The result has been record amounts of prison inmates across the United States, resulting in millions of Americans who hold no voice in their future. The argument made is that these men and women have been reduced to living in the shadows of society. On the other si...
I believe that the single most important societal problem currently is voting right restrictions. November is quickly coming upon us, so does the right to cast our votes for whoever we believe to be the best candidate for the oval office. However, new voting right restrictions will make the voting process harder for certain groups. These laws will affect of upwards to millions of potential voters this coming election. We all have the right to vote. The government also has the right for certain groups to make that ballet harder to cast. The reason that voting right restriction is so important is because it stops numerous people from voting, a specific group of people were targeted, and the reason the law was made is wrong.
Lastly, while it is great to have the personal freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution, it is important to remember that a certain level of responsibility accompanies those rights. Being an American requires civic participation, usually in the form of voting. One of the signs of a healthy democracy is the rate at which citizens vote. The government cannot be truly representative unless the members of the democracy use their voice via voting booths. For example, one cannot complain about a president if he/she chose not to vote at all.
Today in America, less than half of young voters between the ages of 18 and 24 vote (TheBestColleges.org). What most of these new adults fail to realize, is that their government depends on them to vote and elect new leaders to represent their country. Many of them make excuses to avoid voting, when really, they benefit most from voting.
As described by our textbook, voter turnout is “the proportion of the eligible citizens who actually cast ballots” (Newell 142). Measurement of voter turnout can occur in two ways— the percentage of registered voters voting or the percentage of the voting-age population voting. Voting-age population is the preferred measure because it eliminates variations in state voting requirements and elections that can influence voter turnout (Odessa College). The results of voter turnout can be daunting for U.S. officials when in comparison to other countries.
I do not agree with Pericles when he proclaims that citizens who are uninvolved democratically are useless. All people have their role in society, and every member of the system is needed to ensure its functionality. The same people that eschewed voting day may be doctors or police that save and affect many lives every day. Society could not proceed without the balance of different opinions, and some opinions do not involve politics. However, democratic involvement is a critical responsibility for every citizen. The lasting, detrimental result of lack of participation from citizens to a government is less representation of the people and more corruption in the system.
It’s not an everyday thing where you need to leave your house and go vote. In primary election of 2016, I voted. When I stepped into the poll, I felt like I was making a very important decision. At the same time, I felt like how most of us feel when we vote; a little fish in the ocean. We may not notice it but every vote counts. It has been proven that when a majority of the population votes during an election, there is a higher chance of having a successful democracy. That’s how I feel. The more votes, the
Does income and ethnicity influence voter participation in presidential elections? One may ask why is this important, and how does it affect me? Simple, president elections determine the outcome of the country and how good citizens live their day to day lives. Understanding the basics variable that determine how much or how little one participates in elections is crucial to understanding election outcomes. This paper will discuss the impact that income and ethnicity have on voter’s participation, and discuss theories as to why. Voter behavior can’t be determined by one or two variables however; I believe that income as well as ethnicity are vital to voter contribution.
The action of voting is such important role in how our country is going to be developed, especially effects on the economy, foreign relationships, society, etc. People are becoming much involved in politics, which is extraordinary because it means that the people are understanding how important their vote is and how it brings change to the issues that truly bother them. Many citizens don’t vote because they are either lazy or too busy, they either have jobs, classes, families, or other responsibilities take care of, but voting is a responsibility that should be attended. Voting could be the thing to prevent awful political leader’s to be put in office who are not focusing on what’s truly important, which is the people, which means that