Unit Two Discussion: Voting Academic Help
Help me study for my Political Science class. I’m stuck and don’t understand.
This Unit’s discussion is about voting. How can we increase voter participation, or should we increase it so only more knowledgeable people vote? How do we increase knowledgeable voters? Should we require a photo ID, or go the other way and allow anyone to mail-in their ballot or even vote-online? Should we vote for judges or let them be appointed by other elected officials?
1. Your answer needs to be no less than 300 words and no more than 400 words.
2. Students then must post thoughtful replies to two other student’s posts asking questions or adding more thoughts to their material (100 word minimums).
Remember Inappropriate comments will cause students to lose credit for the assignment.
REPLY BACK TO OTHER RESPONSES BELOW (100 word minimums).
1)Jacqueline S
Voter participation is a topic about which I am very passionate. I believe that increasing voter participation and stopping voter suppression is one of the most critical issues of our generation in the effort to ensuring a better future for ourselves and our kids. To begin with, I believe that all High Schools should provide a mandatory Government Action course, which involves explaining different types of elections and why participation, especially in non-presidential elections, is essential to the forward progress of our country. This course work would also help ensure that young adults have a foundational understanding of political activism and why our involvement is vital.
Additionally, I believe that election day should be a federal holiday, and voter registration should be automatic once a person reaches the age of 18. We should be doing a wide range of things to stop voter disenfranchisement and ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to have their voice heard. Polling places shouldn’t be closing; if anything, we should be adding more polling locations. I believe polling places should have extended hours, ideally being open for 24 hours on election day, to ensure access for those who work jobs that would be exempt from a federal holiday. Mail-in ballots and online voting should be available for those who aren’t able to get to a physical polling location on election day. IDs should not be required to vote, as this is a classist and historically racist policy that unfairly punishes those who don’t have six hours to stand in line to get a photo ID, or who can’t afford to get a driver’s license. I also believe that voting rights should be promptly reestablished for felons after they’ve served their time in prison. Currently, in 11 states felons can lose their voting rights indefinitely, and in 21 states felons can be left without the right to vote for years after their incarceration ends.
I believe that judges should be elected by the people, and I would argue that even the Supreme Court should be appointed by the electorate, not by the President. It seems strange to me that we entrust a tremendous responsibility to a group of 9 people whom we didn’t vote for, had no say in the approval of, and who get to keep their seats indefinitely.
2) Ngan D
In my opinion, increasing the number of voter participation gives an idea of what candidate American favor for the position. However, the result of the election would be more accurate and effective if the votes come from knowledgeable voters. We can increase more knowledgeable voters by holding a meeting at the neighborhood or the community for them to have an open discussion about candidates, so those who have not sure who they want to vote for can learn from others. From those meetings, voters may determine who they want to be represented to help them to speak out what they believe and stand for. Having voting clubs and holding youth voting workshops in college during the election seasons at an area that many students can see rather than in a meeting room are also good ideas to encourage not only more students to vote but also more knowledgeable voters.
I do not think that a photo ID is necessary when they mail in their ballot or even vote online. Mail-in ballot and vote-online are good methods to increase the number of voters also since people could not be able to come to a physical location to vote, they can vote from home. These methods are more convenient for them. During the online voting process or in the mail-in voting form, the informations in the photo ID may be asked in order to identify the eligible voter.
I believe that judges should be voted by people because we all want a fair government system. People in the state should vote for state judges, and citizens should be allowed to vote for federal judges. Citizens have a right to vote who they think can make fair decisions for courts, although they may not be happy with their decisions all the time.
