Disenfranchisement heads off 2012 elections

Shane Wade
Opinion Editor

By this time a year from now, more than 5 million Americans will be unable to vote in the 2012 presidential elections because of legislative efforts by largely Republican state legislatures to tighten voter restrictions. These restrictions mark one of the largest state-directed reductions of voter numbers since the era of the Jim Crow laws. And unsurprisingly enough, that means a drastic shift in political power away from the typical Democrat demographics by heavily affecting minorities, the poor and youth.

These laws go beyond the controversial photo ID and proof of citizenship laws that preceded the 2008 election and preyed on the fear of illegal immigrants voting President Obama into office. The legislation reduces early and absentee voting days, eliminates same-day voter registration, blocks voter registration drives and reverses executive orders that restored the voting rights of citizens with past felony convictions.

Supporters of the legislation cite the need to prevent voter fraud, but a 2006 policy brief by the Breenan Center for Justice found that “fraud by individual voters is both irrational and extremely rare” and that “raising the unsubstantiated specter of mass voter fraud suits a particular policy agenda.”

Needless to say, it doesn’t take a genius to reason that voter fraud isn’t a substantial problem in America, where voter turnout is consistently low compared to other industrialized nations.

Entire organizations are built around the singular message of getting citizens to vote. When the punishment for voter fraud could lead to five years of prison and a $10,000 fine, it seems extremely unlikely anyone would bother. Obviously the sponsors of the legislation didn’t bother consulting experts or spend two minutes to do a Google search on voter fraud.

That leaves me to wonder if this really is part of a policy agenda by Republican legislatures to limit the voice of Americans that, based on statistical evidence, might vote Democrat in elections. I’d hope that the GOP would present better presidential candidates than resort to winning the next election by undermining Democrats and silencing Americans that disagree with them. If these laws are indeed intended to suppress voters, Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike must move to repeal and replace them.

Despite how annoying the chant might sound, your vote really is your voice when it comes to politics. The vast majority of Americans cannot directly talk to their Congressional representatives, and they don’t have lobbyists or the wallets of corporate giants to advocate for their cause. Even if they don’t have signs saying it, having a voice in the political sphere is the reason why thousands of Americans are participating in the Occupy movements that are sweeping the nation and the globe.

None of the restrictive legislation was passed in Virginia, but we should still be vigilant and knowledgeable about local and state voting laws.