Restricting the Right to Vote
Voting has not always been a right for citizens in the United States. The history of voter suppression and disenfranchisement is outlined by historian Alexander Keyssar in his book, The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States. Alexander Keyssar has a conversation about that history with Adele Oltman in this interview. But issues regarding voter suppression are not relics of our nation’s past. Voter suppression occurred during the 2018 midterm elections and voter ID laws, voter registration restrictions, voter purges, felony disenfranchisement, and gerrymandering continue to impact elections to come.
- Why Voter Turnout is So Low
In recent years, states around the country have passed numerous laws restricting the right to vote. But this effort to contract the franchise — a fundamental assault on political democracy — is not unprecedented. Since the founding of the United States, elites have used their power to disenfranchise and suppress the vote of those they’d rather not see at the ballot box. - Block the Vote: Voter Suppression in 2020
Voting should be as easy and convenient as possible, and in many cases it is. But across the U.S., too many politicians are passing measures making it harder to cast a ballot. The goal is to manipulate political outcomes, and the result is a severely compromised democracy that doesn’t reflect the will of the people. Our democracy works best when all eligible voters can participate and have their voices heard. - Voter Suppression During the 2018 Elections
During the 2018 midterm elections, voter participation was more than 10 percentage points higher than it was in the 2014 midterm elections, demonstrating Americans’ demand for change and increased enthusiasm for exercising their civic duty to vote.1 That said, nearly 120 million eligible Americans did not participate in the November elections. - Criminal Disenfranchisement Laws Across the United States
Millions of Americans are excluded from our democratic process on the basis of criminal disenfranchisement laws. This map summarizes current state laws on criminal disenfranchisement.
Organizations
Many organizations exist that support the principles of democracy through protecting voter rights. Click on the following links to learn more about these organizations and what they are doing to protect voter rights in the United States.
- League of Women VotersThe League of Women Voters of the United States encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
- American Civil Liberties UnionThe ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
- Center for American ProgressThe Center for American Progress is an independent nonpartisan policy institute that is dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans, through bold, progressive ideas, as well as strong leadership and concerted action. Our aim is not just to change the conversation, but to change the country.
- The Sentencing ProjectThe Sentencing Project has worked for a fair and effective U.S. criminal justice system for over 30 years.
- Election Protection: 866 Our VoteThe national, nonpartisan Election Protection coalition works year-round to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have that vote count. Made up of more than 100 local, state and national partners, Election Protection uses a wide range of tools and activities to protect, advance and defend the right to vote.
- Asian Americans Advancing JusticeAsian Americans have been part of the American story since its earliest days, and are now the U.S.'s fastest-growing racial group with the potential and power to shape our nation and the policies that affect us. Our mission is to advance civil and human rights for Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all.
- Brennan Center for JusticeThe Brennan Center for Justice is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that strives to uphold the values of democracy as it stands for equal justice and the rule of law.
- Vote.orgVote.org uses technology to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy.
- Voto LatinoVoto Latino is a grassroots political organization focused on educating and empowering a new generation of Latinx voters, as well as creating a more robust and inclusive democracy. Through innovative digital campaigns, culturally relevant programs and authentic voices, we shepherd the Latinx community towards full realization of its political power.
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Want to vote but unsure you can make it to the polls on election day? Learn more about absentee voting.
