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The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote: A History and Crisis Plan

Eddie Powell

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Our Unfinished March: The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote-A History, a Crisis, a Plan

by Sam Koppelman

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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The right to vote is a cornerstone of democracy, but it has been under attack for centuries. In the United States, the fight for voting rights has been long and bloody, with many setbacks along the way. Today, the right to vote is once again under threat, and it is more important than ever to understand its history and to protect it.

A History of Voter Suppression

The history of voter suppression in the United States is long and ugly. From the founding of the country, when only white male property owners were allowed to vote, to the Jim Crow era, when Black Americans were denied the right to vote through poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence, voter suppression has been a persistent problem.

In recent years, voter suppression has taken on new forms. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which had required states with a history of voter discrimination to get federal approval before changing their voting laws. This decision has led to a wave of new voter suppression laws, such as voter ID laws, cuts to early voting, and purges of voter rolls.

These laws have a disproportionate impact on people of color, low-income voters, and young voters. In the 2016 election, for example, a study by the Brennan Center for Justice found that voter ID laws could have prevented more than 2 million eligible voters from casting a ballot.

The Imperiled Future of the Vote

The right to vote is under threat today more than ever before. The Trump administration has repeatedly attacked the integrity of the voting process, and has made it clear that it is willing to use its power to suppress the vote.

In 2017, the Trump administration created a voter fraud commission, which was tasked with investigating allegations of widespread voter fraud. However, the commission was disbanded after it failed to find any evidence of widespread voter fraud.

In 2018, the Trump administration announced that it would be sending armed poll watchers to minority-majority polling places. This announcement was widely seen as an attempt to intimidate voters of color.

In 2020, the Trump administration made it harder for people to register to vote and to cast their ballots. The administration also refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if it lost the election.

A Crisis Plan to Protect the Vote

The right to vote is in danger. We must take action now to protect it. Here is a crisis plan to protect the vote:

Restore the Voting Rights Act. The Voting Rights Act is the most important law protecting the right to vote. We must restore its full protections.
Pass the For the People Act. The For the People Act is a comprehensive voting rights bill that would expand access to the ballot box and make it easier for people to vote.
Support organizations that are fighting for voting rights. There are many organizations working to protect the right to vote. We must support their efforts.
Volunteer your time to help people register to vote and get to the polls. Every vote counts, and we need to make sure that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to cast a ballot.
Speak out against voter suppression. We must not be silent in the face of voter suppression. We must speak out against it and demand that our elected officials protect the right to vote.

The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. We must protect it at all costs. By taking action to restore the Voting Rights Act, pass the For the People Act, support voting rights organizations, volunteer our time, and speak out against voter suppression, we can protect the right to vote for generations to come.

Our Unfinished March: The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote-A History, a Crisis, a Plan

by Sam Koppelman

4.5 out of 5