There is a Better Way

US voter participation rates are pretty dismal. During the off-year election of 2014, only 36.7% of eligible voters bothered to cast ballots. The presidential election of 2012 had a somewhat better 58.6% turn-out. Still, of 34 economically developed countries, only three had poorer voter participation than the US. The top countries in voter turn-out are Belgium (89%), Turkey (86%). and Sweden (83%)

Despite poor American voter participation, Republican-dominated legislatures across America have been on a coordinated campaign to make voting even more difficult. Since 2010, twenty-two GOP-led states have enacted laws that make it harder to vote. Democratic-leaning groups such as the poor and students have been especially targeted for suppression.

Since gaining the majority in 2010, Wisconsin GOP legislators have been in the vanguard of this national drive to block the vote. They have severely curtailed early voting, implemented the strictest photo-ID law in the country, abolished special registration deputies, and increased residency requirements. Scott Walker even suggested ending same-day registration, a move that would heavily discourage first-time (mostly young, mostly Democratic) voters.

All of these changes have been made under the guise of eliminating non-existent voter fraud. But the GOP's actual motivation for voter repression is far more self-serving. After photo ID was passed in 2011, State Senate Republicans let the real cat out of the bag. Some were reportedly "giddy about the ramifications and literally singled out the prospects of suppressing minority and college voters."

On a personal level, I volunteered as an election inspector in Germantown in 2014 and 2015. During that time, the strict Wisconsin photo ID law was tied-up in court. However, the burdensome regulation was allowed to go into effect this year. Being morally opposed to the law, I resigned as a poll worker. Since I had volunteered my time to help people exercise their voting rights, I could not in good conscience participate in restricting those same rights.

However, despite the voter-suppression efforts in Wisconsin and across the deep South, there is hope. In many progressive states, legislatures are actually making it easier for people to vote. According to the Brennan Center, access to voting has been increased in 23 states since 2012.

Some states are making it easier for former felons regain their voting rights. Others are allowing on-line voter registration. Some are adopting same-day registration. Others are facilitating data sharing between other government agencies and voting registrars. The drive to increase voting rights is now stronger than that to repress voting. During the 2015 state legislative sessions up to May, Brennan counted 133 pending bills that would restrict voting, but an overwhelming 464 bills that would increase access to voting.

Oregon is an exemplary state in the push to make it easier for citizens to vote. It was one of the first states to allow on-line registration. Oregon voting is by mail, with all registered voters receiving and returning their ballots through the postal system. This voting system has been in place since 1998. With an overwhelming 81% approval, it has been a wildly popular program. In 2011, Washington followed Oregon to become the second state with all mail-in voting.

In March of 2015, Oregon once again led the nation by making voter registration automatic. All citizens are registered using data from the DMV and people are given 21 days to opt out. California also signed a similar system into law last October. The California law will make a huge dent in the estimated 6.6 million of eligible Californians who are not registered. Earlier this month West Virginia became the third state to implement the reform, with many other states actively considering it.
 
America is rapidly dividing into two separate groups of states. On one side, states controlled by Republican majorities, such as Wisconsin, are making it much harder for their citizens to vote. In an attempt to lock-in power, politicians in these states are curtailing voting hours, implementing restrictive photo ID laws, making voter registration drives impossible, and increasing voter wait times.

On the other side, progressive states are protecting and extending the right to vote. They are making registration easier, allowing on-line registration or even automatically registering everyone. Some are ending hour-plus line waits by implementing mail-in voting. Progressive states are attempting to make our right to vote free, fair, and accessible to everyone. How great is that?