democratizing elections us society spring ‘09. outline voter disenfranchisement voter suppression...
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Democratizing Elections
US SOCIETY SPRING ‘09
OutlineVoter
Disenfranchisement
Voter Suppression
Voter–Owned Elections
Instant Runoff Voting
Planting the Standardof Democracy
Philip Green, KarenRose Anderson, Tom Stephens
Voter Disenfranchisement
Outline
•Voter Fraud Protection
•Mail In Ballots
•Felon Disenfranchisement
Voter Fraud Protection**Required Photo ID**
Goal: prevention of individual cases of fraud
Problem: Not all citizens or registered voters have valid photo ID (largely affects minorities and women)
Mail In Ballots**Not available in many U.S. states**
Goal: Avoids possible voter fraud
Problem: Many people unable to get to polls due to disability, distance, busy schedules etc; therefore lower voter turn out.
Historic significance of voting rights in the U.S.
Upon founding, only white land owning men had the right to vote
1868 - 14th Amendment grants African Americans the legal right to vote
1920 - 16th Amendment grants women the right to vote
Historic Significance of Voting rights in the U.S.
1964 - Civil Rights Act bans the suppression African Americans voters
1971 - Congress lowers voting age to 18
Today - Over 5 million people in the US remain banned from exercising their right to vote
Felon DisenfranchisementVoting restrictions placed on citizens
convicted of a felony
48 States prohibit inmates from voting while incarcerated for a felony
30 States exclude felons on parole/probation from voting
Kentucky & Virginia deny the right to vote to ex-felons permanently
Who is Affected?5.3 Million Americans (1 in every 41
adults) have currently or permanently lost the right to vote as result of felony conviction
2.1 Million are ex-offenders that have completed their sentences
Election Outcomes“Although the outcome of the extraordinarily
close 2000 presidential election could have been altered by a large number of factors, it would almost certainly have been reversed had voting rights been extended to any category of disenfranchised felons…
Had disenfranchised felons been permitted to vote, we estimate that Gore’s [national] margin of victory in the popular vote would have surpassed one million votes … Regardless of popular vote, however, one state –Florida– held the balance of power. If disenfranchised felons in Florida had been permitted to vote, Democrat Al Gore would certainly have carried the state and the election.”
Minorities
• Disproportionate number of minority adults disenfranchised due to conviction of a felony
African Americans:
• Make up 38% of disenfranchised adults but 13.4% of U.S. population
• 13% of African Americans are disenfranchised; (7 times the national average)
Latino Americans:
• Make up 16% of disenfranchised adults but 13% of U.S. Population
Felon Re-EnfranchisementPromotes rehabilitation & civic
integration for those convicted of felonies
Gives a voice to those disproportionately disadvantaged by felony convictions (namely minorities & low income communities)
Efforts Toward Re-EnfranchisementEducating ex-felons about voting
rights & process for regaining right to vote
Grassroots re-enfranchisement projects:
--www.projectvote.org
--www.sentencingproject.org
Voter Voter SuppressionSuppression Voter Voter SuppressionSuppression Katlin Pointer &Ronnie Balog-Ressler
Outline• Distribution of Election Resources
• Barriers to Third Party Registration
• Challenging Voters at the Polls
• Voter Intimidation
• Purging Voters
• Election Day Registration
Voter Suppression
Distribution of Election ResourcesProblems at voting polls in minority and
urban precincts Discourages voters due to not enough voting
machines
Poorly Trained and disorganized poll workers
Voter suppression video
Voter Suppression
Third Party Registration Restrictions
Preserving political successes
Regulation of third party activities
Concerns of voter fraud
Voter Suppression
Challenging voters at the pollsIntimidation
Police presence at polling places
Voters improperly asked for photo ID and/or proof of citizenship
Exclusion of 20 million Americans who lack photo identification
Voter Suppression
Voter intimidation
Deceptive flyers
Misleading and/or harassing phone calls
Forced to declare aloud their party affiliation
Voter SuppressionVoter cagingPurging or challenge
voters’ registration Undeliverable mail
compiled into "challenge lists" of unverifiable addresses and can be used to challenge voters' eligibility
Voter Suppression
State voter challenge lawsChallenge the right of other citizens
to vote
Post-Reconstructive Era
Employed restrictive residency requirements, periodic registration, poll taxes, and literacy or understanding requirements.
Voter Suppression
Election Day RegistrationSupporters
Increased voter turnout Decreased Voter’s confusion Human Nature of Procrastination
Opponents Time/financial costIncrease in Fraud
Mary Heil & Virginia Rumfelt
Outline
Old ways of doing things
New election system
How VOE works
Oregon
Is it still a broken system?
The conundrumhttp://www.voterownedhawaii.org/
roadvideo.php
In theory
Candidates that demonstrate broad community support may choose to receive all the funding they will need to finance a campaign.
People from increasingly historically underrepresented would be able to run and, therefore, a more diverse population is represented.
How does V-OE work?
Along with a handful of other US States, Portland is the first US city to attempt the VOE model
Online voting
Oregon to join interstate compact to modify the Electoral College
Success debatableUntil now, Money Has Limited Democracy:
Roughly 90% of elections in PDX had been won by the candidate with the most bucks and access to the media.
A surge of empowerment felt in voters
Controversy Obama’s refusal of Public Funds during the 2008 presidential election
“Broken System”Record breaking internet fundraising
Instant Runoff VotingMichael SaxtonCassidy JorgensenDennis Dunn
What is IRV?Alternative voting process to the
electoral system
Based on a ranking system of preferred candidates
Based on winning the majority of votes; not plurality (more than anyone else)
How IRV Works
Muppet Slides
http://www.instantrunoff.com/how/muppets/
IRV ObjectionsMultiple choices mean multiple votes
The other votes are only counted if you chose the losing candidate
Ranking can hurt candidates
IRV Objections cont.
Creates false majorities if there isn’t a clear number one choice
Costs the taxpayer more money
IRV Benefits
Elects candidate with a true majority
Increases voter turnout
IRV Benefits cont.
Eliminates primaries and saves money
Candidates use a less negative campaign strategy to attract voters
IRV Benefits cont.
Lesser known candidates can attract more votes
IRV only counts one vote at a time
Minimizes wasted votes
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