Voter Suppression in the United States, A Short Primer

 

At this point we all (at least 67 million of us, according to CBS news) watched the Presidential Debate between Kamala Harris and number 45. It would be tempting then to declare Kamala Harris the victor and cast our ballots trusting that our vote will be counted responsibly, allowing Mrs. Harris to step up to the podium and begin her term as the new President of the United States.

A peaceful transition of power would then ensue – just like it did on January 6, 2021 – you remember how that went don’t you, dear reader. Then we could all heal our wounds and carry on the business at hand.

I won’t take tong explaining the way things work in this country or have been for a while lately since the country divided itself into a two-party system, both bankrolled by rather wealthy actors, allowing questionable decisions emanating from the Supreme Court allowing those wealthy actors to control the way the game is played.

Besides the legalization of wholesale bribery at almost all levels of governance, we can also expect to live quietly under a situation where electoral candidates can choose their electors, rather than the other way around. That, in common parlance is something we all like to call Voter Suppression.

According to the ACLU, "Voting rights are under attack nationwide as states pass voter suppression laws.” These laws significantly burden eligible voters trying to exercise their most fundamental constitutional right.

Since 2008, various measures such as cuts to early voting, voter ID laws, and voter roll purges have made it harder for Americans—especially Black people, the elderly, students, and people with disabilities—to vote.

Voter suppression in the U.S. through legal and illegal actions is designed to prevent eligible citizens from voting. Tactics vary by state and jurisdiction but historically have targeted racial, economic, gender, age, and disability groups. After the Civil War, despite the 15th Amendment, measures like poll taxes and literacy tests were used to restrict African American men from voting. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 brought progress, but suppression tactics persist today.

Since the 2013 Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County v. Holder, which weakened federal oversight of state voting laws, voter suppression concerns have resurged. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, over 360 bills restricting voting access were introduced in 47 states by March 2021. Nineteen states passed 34 laws that imposed new barriers to voting in 2021 alone, ranging from restrictions on mail-in ballots to new voter ID requirements.

These modern voter suppression tactics are often subtle but collectively create significant burdens, particularly on communities of color. Small changes—like adjusting voter ID laws or limiting polling place resources—can have large, disproportionate effects.

Historical Context and Modern Developments

Voter suppression has historically affected Black Americans the most. Despite the 15th Amendment guaranteeing voting rights in 1870, Jim Crow laws like literacy tests and poll taxes kept many Black Americans disenfranchised until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. However, the 2013 *Shelby* ruling opened the door for renewed efforts to suppress minority votes.

A report by the Guardian and Documented in 2023 uncovered secret meetings between voter suppression advocates and Republican election officials, illustrating ongoing efforts to make voting harder. These meetings, part of a broader effort led by groups such as the Heritage Foundation and the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), are built on unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud to justify restrictions.

Common Voter Suppression Tactics

Voter suppression tactics include:

1. Gerrymandering: Redrawing electoral districts to favor one party over another, using "packing" (concentrating opposition voters into one district) and "cracking" (spreading opposition voters across multiple districts).

2. Denying Felons the Right to Vote: Over 6 million Americans, mostly minorities, are disenfranchised due to felony convictions. While some states restore voting rights after prison, others impose lifelong bans.

3. Voter ID Requirements: Thirty-four states have voter ID laws, with 18 requiring photo ID. These disproportionately affect poor, elderly, and minority voters who may not have access to valid identification.

4. Election Security and Disinformation: Despite concerns over insecure voting systems and foreign interference, little has been done to strengthen election security, raising concerns that disinformation campaigns are being used to suppress certain voters.

5. Polling Place Closures and Voter Roll Purges: Closing polling locations, especially in minority communities, and purging voter rolls have become common tactics. Between 2016 and 2018, nearly 17 million voters were purged from the rolls, disproportionately affecting minority voters.

The weakening of the Voting Rights Act and the resurgence of voter suppression tactics pose a significant threat to fair elections in the United States. While both major political parties have engaged in voter suppression in the past, recent efforts, particularly by Republicans, have focused on enacting laws that disproportionately disenfranchise poor and minority voters. These tactics undermine democracy and contribute to growing inequalities in political representation.

The League of Women Voters, a nonprofit organization upholding the rights of disenfranchised voters have an app, Voter411.org that can help people register to vote in their location providing nonpartisan information about local and federal elections, including voter guides, candidate information, polling rules and locations, and more. You can find them online at https://www.lwv.org/voting-rights/expanding-voter-access.

There other groups that may be of use to prospective voters; For instance the Voting Rights Lab (https://votingrightslab.org/) bills itself as a “…nonpartisan organization accelerating the movement for free and fair elections through expert analysis, research, and innovations.” They have a tool, State Voting Rights Tracker that reports on “…election law and proposed legislation across all 50 states and DC” available on their website.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU ) also addresses concerns about Voter Suppression. They actively play a role in  expanding access to ballot boxes and polling. You can access that here: https://www.aclu.org/issues/voting-rights/fighting-voter-suppression.

Furthermore, contacting the Secretary of State in your locale to ensure your name hasn’t been purged from the voting roles in your area.

The Republican Right would like to scare you into thinking that nothing can be done and electing a 34 count felon into the Oval Office is a foregone conclusion. They also look forward to an election won from attrition and disinformation. You can route and thwart those intentions by educating yourself of the situation at hand and stand for your right to make your vote counted.

Thank you.

References:

Haserf and Lithwick (2023). The Effort to Suppress the Vote Is Spreading to the Republican Mainstream. Retrieved from https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/04/republican-effort-to-suppress-the-vote.html

Hubbard, K. (2024). How many people watched the presidential debate? Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-harris-debate-abc-ratings-2024/

Weida, K. (April 28, 2020). The Top Five Voter Suppression Tactics. Retrieved from https://rantt.com/top-five-voter-suppression-tactics