For the people of Chicago, the past few months have been ripe with elections.
From the ones you may know, like the mayoral election, to the lesser-known ones, like City Treasurer and City Council races, Chicago has been bombarded by elections. Luckily for most Chicago voters, it is easy vote. You just have to show up to your polling place, give your name and address, and you’ll be allowed to vote.
If you can’t make it to the polls on Election Day, there is also early voting and vote-by-mail options so you can make sure your vote will be counted. However, for some people in America, voting is a challenge in and of itself. In some states, like Missouri, early voting just doesn’t exist. So, if you cannot make it to the polls on election day, you can’t vote.
While most states do have early voting, others have very strict voter ID laws. These ID laws require you to present photo identification in order to vote. While proponents of these laws say that these laws will prevent voter fraud, there are almost zero cases of it occurring in America. Wisconsin’s voter ID law was so rigorous that you could only get the proper identification three times a month from a DMV.
Luckily for most voters, these laws seem to be getting struck down around the country. However, more and more states around the country seem to be looking to implement them. There is also the case of felons not being allowed to vote. In certain states, if you have commited a crime and are sent to jail because of it, your right to vote is stripped permanently.
This most recently happened in Florida, though that law was defeated at the ballot box overwhelmingly last year, allowing nearly one million ex-felons to restore their right to vote. Voting is a fundamental right for American citizens, and trying to weaken it is a terrible thing to do.
Make voting easier and more accessible to everyone, so they can participate in the great American democracy. “I Voted” Stickers John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tribune
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